


Ridiculous

by CherryGum



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alcohol, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, People who can't confess, Romance, i don't know what to tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 10:40:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 26,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13339536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryGum/pseuds/CherryGum
Summary: He was so fucked.The moment Daichi found out all of his friends were going to spend New Year’s party/Daichi’s birthday/Asahi’s birthday together at Suga’s new apartment this year, he decided it was the perfect moment for his confession to come to light. It could be a very romantic holiday.And he missed his chance on Christmas.He was regretting that decision so much right now.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry...
> 
> I don't even know what this is but it's laaaaaaate...

He was so fucked.

The moment Daichi found out all of his friends were going to spend New Year’s party/Daichi’s birthday/Asahi’s birthday together at Suga’s new apartment this year, he decided it was the perfect moment for his confession to come to light. It could be a very romantic holiday.

And he missed his chance on Christmas.

He was regretting that decision so much right now.

But he made a promise to himself! He wouldn’t back out. Repeating to himself in front of the mirror all morning _“What are you? A man or a mouse!?”_

He was feeling like a mouse right now... but a manly mouse!

Of course he acted out the situation in his head for days. He would express himself bluntly. Let Suga know just exactly what’s on his heart that has been growing for years and that he can’t keep hiding.

There were 3 possible endings:

  1. The happy ending. ( _YESS!!!!_ )



Suga would reciprocate his feelings and accept going out with him for dinner, and with time, they would establish an official relationship, fall deeply in love and live happily ever after. Yay!

     2. The neutral ending. ( _...friendzone_ )

Suga would appreciate him for being honest, but he couldn’t return the feeling, however, he wants them to remain friends, since he is a very important person in Suga’s life... yay... I guess... still sucks.

     3. The bad ending. ( _I just wanna hide in a hole and cry... and die_ )

Suga would tell him that not only he doesn’t feel the same way, but from now on, their friendship can not be the same and it would be for the best to not see eachother again... not yay.

Daichi shook his head, as if making all negative thoughts go away. No matter what Suga’s answer could be, he needed to tell him!

He also needed to remind himself that’s he’s a grown up man and has to stop saying ‘yay’ so much in his head.

Right now, Daichi was helping Suga with the food for the party. Suga didn’t want to make him work on his birthday, but he ~~begged~~ insisted. Even though he wasn’t really helping much. Suga was doing most of the work. Daichi couldn’t concentrate. He was too nervous, but not just that, he also got very distracted by Suga whenever he wasn’t looking, ‘cause _damn_ ,

Sugawara was beautiful.

His gray hair was a little messy from working for hours without having the chance to look at a mirror; his brown eyes big and bright concentrating on... cooking, or... whatever he was doing, Daichi wasn’t paying atention to that; his lips slightly parted, also from concentration, and he obviously didn’t notice that. Sugawara had no idea how good he looked, and that irritated Daichi a little bit.

_How can you not realize how unbelievably beautiful and perfect you are!?_

And his mole is so cute! How is a mole cute!?

“Daichi! Stop dreaming!”

The loud voice woke Daichi up from his thoughts. Suga was standing in front of him with a frown on his face and his hands on his hips trying to look serious, which was hard considering the floral apron he was wearing (mom’s gift).

Daichi focused his attention on the cookie dough on his hands beacuse cookies! Cookies is what they were making!

“Sorry, it’s just... you look funny with your hair like that,” he lied. His hair wasn’t so bad, but that’s the first excuse that came to Daichi’s mind. It was better than to tell him he was admiring his beauty. He couldn’t tell him that yet. The moment wasn’t right.

“What?” Suga immediately went to the bathroom to look at himself and gasped when he saw his dishevelled hair in the mirror. “Did my hair look like this all day?”

Daichi thought that maybe he shouldn’t say it, but he did anyway.

“Not all day, just the last four hours.”

Suga got out of the bathroom with a deadpan look on his face making Daichi laugh and then he sighed.

“Well, at least we’re almost done. Thanks for helping me, Daichi. I’m so excited for tonight! Not everyday we can meet with all the people we care about. That’s what’s so great about this day, don’t you think?” he said, offering a big, wholeheartedly smile, and Daichi felt his heart skip a beat.

He was so fucked.

 

   ○○○

 

By nine o’clock, most of the guests had arrived. They were gathered all around the living room and the kitchen. The TV was on, but no one was watching. Low music was playing in the background. People were talking.

It was such a nice atmosphere.

Only three hours left until the new year and Daichi’s confession, ‘cause no better time to do it than with a beautiful night sky stained with breathtaking fireworks. A scene like that can make hearts race and emotions overflow, in Daichi’s humble opinion.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Hinata and Kageyama were arguin about pointless things as usual while Tanaka watched, looking from side to side everytime someone replied.

“Dumbass, just stop taking my toothbrush out of place!”

“I already told you that I don’t do that! I just like to have _my_ toothbrush in my special place with the rest of my stuff!”

“But your toothbrush is always in the same place!”

“Yeah, because _you_ are the one who always puts it there!”

“I never touched your stupid toothbrush!”

“And I never touched yours either! Your stupid orange toothbrush is always in the same place!”

“...”

“What!?”

“Orange toothbrush?”

“Yeah, orange toothbrush.”

“My toothbrush is blue.”

“What? No, the blue one’s mine.”

“No, it’s mine.”

“...”

“...”

“A-are you saying that we’ve been using the same toothbrush all this time?”

“...”

“...”

“Oh my god!”

“Eww!”

“Gross!”

“Bwahahahaha!”

The discussion ended with both guys wiping out their tounges with their hands and Tanaka falling to the floor out of laughter.

 

   ○○○

 

_9:15 p.m._

Kenma was just innocently sitting on the couch. Bothering no one. Vision committed on his phone. Minding his own business.

On the other side, hiding behind the couch’s arm, were Kuroo and Bokuto with only their eyes and heads visible to Kenma. They were giggling and whispering to themselves, holding each one a bottle of beer.

“And here we see a Kozume Kenma in its natural habitat. Latin name: _Felus Kenmus_.”

“This animal is small and fragile looking, but it can become very violent if someone touches or even gets near its babies A.K.A. videogames.”

“Its diet consists of rice; fast food; curry; fruits like melon, strawberries and grapes, but most of all, apple pie.”

“Its fur is blonde with a black spot at the top, its eyes are big and gold colored, its height is 1,71 cm and its weight is around 60 kg. A little small, but don’t let it fool you, it can be very dangerous when angry.”

“Kenma is very reserved, but even though it’s a solitary animal, it seems to have developed some liking towards a certain black cat.” Kuroo winked.

“Its hobbies include playing videogames, sleeping, eating apple pie... and that’s pretty much it.”

“What kind of adventures will this wonderful creature engage in today? I wonder.”

“Can you stop!?” yelled Kenma at the idiotic pair now laughing annoyingly. They then stood up and sat to his side.

“Kenma, it’s a party. Do you know what you’re supossed to do at parties?” Kuroo asked. Kenma just stared at him like Kuroo was about to reveal what life’s meaning is and he was scared of hearing it. “Have fun. You’re supossed to have fun. Not just sit all night and play games. You need to socialize.”

“I already know all this people.”

“Then that should make it easier for you to talk to them. What about Hinata? Don’t you like being with him?” Kenma just pouted at his words, ignoring the fact that is the first time in a long time he heard Kuroo call Hinata by his name instead of ‘Shrimp’.

“He’s been with Kageyama since they arrived.”

“Yeah, fighting,” Bokuto clarified. “How do those two live together?”

“You two never fight?” Kenma asked. The duo gasped dramatically, as if they just got highly offended. Then they looked at each other.

“Sometimes.”

“Yeah.”

They both restored their attention to the smaller boy, who only resigned himself to sigh.

“But we never go to bed angry,” Bokuto apprised, and Kuroo’s eyes widened.

“Each their own bed,” he hurried to clear it, making the other realize what he just said.

“Oh, yeah. Each to his own bed.” Bokuto showed a smile way too big and silence surrounded them for a few seconds.

“Anyway,” Kuroo continued. “You can’t do nothing all night,” he said.

But Kenma took the challenge.

“Watch me.” Kenma then returned his sight to the bright screen in his hands. Kuroo stared at him for several seconds before snapping and taking the phone, lifting it out of his reach.

“Bad Kenma.”

The blonde just frowned and pouted.

“I’ll give this back to you if you actually make an effort and try to be a little social. At least talk with Hinata.”

Kenma sighed loudly, but agreed anyway.

“Fine, but you’re taking me home,” he said and Kuroo just laughed stupidly.

“Kenma, by the end of the night I’ll be drunk,” Kuroo said, as if it was obvious.

“Then don’t drink.”

“Oh, but it’s not my decision. It’s the drink’s decision. It’s stronger than me.” He brought the beer he was holding to his face, “What do you say, Beer-chan? You want me to drink you until I start thinking everything is funny and laugh so hard making a fool of myself just to irritate Kenma? That’s not right, but I guess I’m not the boss here.”

Kenma just stared at him, wanting to slap Kuroo’s characteristic smirk off his face.

“You have a problem.”

“You bet I do.”

With that, the blonde went in search of his friend and no, Kuroo wasn’t cheking out his ass as he walked away. What are you saying?

Kuroo felt some hands tapping at his arm. He turned around to see that the owl haired boy was pointing at someone in the crowd of people.

“Oh! Oh! Look who’s here!” Bokuto exclaimed with excitement. Across the room talking with Suga was a fairly pretty, black haired man with fine blue eyes, displaying his usual indifferent expression.

“Oh my God, it’s Akaashi! Our neighbour that we’ve known for years and that we see every single day! Isn’t it exciting to see him once again?”

“I know, it’s... you’re being sarcastic.”

Kuroo laughed and answered with a “No shit, Sherlock.”

“You’re mean.”

“Sorry.”

Actually, Kuroo was very aware of the way Bokuto felt towards their neighbour. They told each other everything. Even things they didn’t even want to know about ( _‘no one cares about your kink with feet, Bokuto, God dammit!_ ). And even if he teased him about it, he only wanted to see his best friend happy. He’d be thrilled to tell Akaashi about Bokuto’s schoolgirl crush on him, but he knew that Bokuto wouldn’t want that. The owl boy made it pretty clear that Akaashi should never ever ever ever EVER find out how he feels, otherwise, the world... would explode!

And he’d die of embarrassment!

But Kuroo’s situation wasn’t any better: he’s been in love with his best friend since long before Bokuto even met Akaashi, and whenever he tried to instigate his friend to make a move, Bokuto always liked to remind him this, and it’s always the same story:

_“That’s different!”_

_“How is it different?”_

_“Akaashi’s not your childhood friend! You’ve only known him for some years.”_

_“Nine years.”_

_“If he knows that you like him and he doesn’t feel the same way, your relationship would stay the same, but with Kenma it’d make things weird and we could never see each other eye to eye again withouth it being awkward. Don’t you see my situation?”_

_“...”_

_“...”_

_“You’re just as much of a pussy as I am and you don’t want to admit it.”_

...maybe?.. 50/50?

But anyway, Kuroo still never missed the chance encourage him.

“Sorry Bo, but hey, listen to me.”

“What?”

“Listen to me.”

“I’m listening.”

“Tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Listen, tonight,”

“Yes?”

“Tonight could be your night.”

“My night?”

“Yes.”

“My night.”

“Yes.”

“Yeah.”

“Exactly.”

“Of course.”

“Uhuh.”

“... my night for what?”

“To tell Akaashi.”

“Tell him what?”

“You know what.”

“...would you tell Kenma then?”

“Tell him what?”

“You know what.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Wait!”

Kuroo's smirk reappeared, but he looked like he was holding his laughter, though he still did not give up.

“But seriously bro, I can feel it. Tonight can be your lucky night. You _have_ to confess to Akaashi.”

Then suddenly out of nowhere, Daichi jumped in and scared the heck out of them.

“No! This is my night!” And with only that said, he left, leaving both men petrified and confused.

  
“What the fuck?”

 

   ○○○

 

_9:22 p.m._

“Hitoka.”

The urgent voice made the tiny blonde girl lose her concentration on the plate of food in front of her. A second before she looked like she was going to devour it like an animal.

“Yes, Saeko-san?”

The other blonde girl quickly pointed her finger at some guy across the room.

“Who is _that_?”

Yachi turned and placed her sight to where Saeko was pointing: a tall, honey-blonde haired boy with a radiant smile was talking and laughing with the people around him.

“Oh, that’s Akiteru-san. He’s Tsukishima-san’s older brother,” Yachi answered. Saeko just stayed silent for a couple of seconds.

“I want him,” she stated with an expressionless face, leaving Yachi frozen in her place.

Now, hearing these kind of shameless things from Saeko’s mouth wasn’t really a surprise. Everybody knew that this girl was confidence personified, but still, she never failed to shock the small girl and make her blush and feel embarrassed just by hearing her.

Yachi sometimes didn’t know if Saeko scared her or she wanted to be like her.

“Do you think he has a girlfriend?” the other girl asked, getting Yachi into thinking clearly again.

“I-I don’t know,” she answered. Some moments later, the group of people with whom he was talking to started to disperce.

“Well, it’s worth a shot.” Right before she stood up, Saeko unbuttoned the first two buttons of her shirt (getting a surprised reaction from Yachi) and walked directly to the boy’s direction.

“Hey, how you doin’?” She placed herself right by his side. Too close in fact, invading a little too much his personal space.

“Oh, hi.” He offered a little nervious smile.

“My name’s Saeko.”

“Akiteru.”

Saeko studied his face for a couple of seconds, and seeing him up close he started to look familiar. Then it was like a kick in her memory.

“Ah! I remember you! We met before when our brothers played volleyball together in high school.”

“Really? Who’s your brother?”

“Uhm... Oh, he’s the one over the-” She was about to indicate the bald guy in the corner of the room, but when she saw him with his shirt off trying to balance an empty beer bottle over his head while his smaller friend cheered on him, she retracted. Saeko usually never felt embarrassed by her brother, in fact, most of the time she was proud of his abilities, no matter how useless or stupid they were, but whenever those abilities were performed in front of cute guys, he was temporarily banned from sharing blood with her. “He’s the tall one with the beard!” She pointed to the farthest person from the bald man in the room.

“Isn’t that guy’s birthday?”

“Uhh, yep! Today’s my baby brother’s birthday!” She kept with the lie. No harm done.

“Uhm, don’t take it wrong but you don’t really look alike.”

“Yeah, we get that a lot. People say I look more like mommy.”

“Okay, but he isn’t-”

“Yeah, well, he’s... he’s adopted. Can we keep talking about me? Or you?” The boy was taken aback a little but, deciding that changing topic would be for the best, he nodded and gave a silent “Sure”.

Saeko cleared her troath, “So, Akiteru, tell me, how old are you? What do you do for a living? Are you single? Are you gay? Do you live alone? Any STDs?”

The man stayed quiet, frigid.

“Am I intimidating you yet?”

He was, in fact, very intimidated.

But the girl was pretty. He’d give it a chance.

  
Yachi was now left alone with her plate of food because that’s all she has.

_Because she’s alone!_

Until a certain black haired girl decided show up.

“Hitoka.”

“Ah! Kiyoko-san!” Yachi was obviously surprised, even though she should probably have expected to find Kiyoko that night, but pretty much anything surprises you when your nerves are always on edge. The taller girl looked absolutely beautiful in her long black dress and loose hair, offering a gentle smile. She was glowing, even in a fully illuminated room. It was almost blinding, and just like Saeko’s boldness, Kiyoko’s natural beauty is something that Yachi should already be used to, but she’s still amazed.

“Are you alone?” Kiyoko asked, and at that moment, Yachi wished she had some sense of sass, so she could try to resist the urge to snap with a good comeback.

“Yes, I’m alone.”

“Mind if I make you some company?” she asked politely.

“N-no, not at all.”

Kiyoko sat next to her and put her hands together. She looked around, as if thinking of what to say next, or rather, the words to use.

“Hitoka, there’s something I’d like to ask you. Uhm, remember that time when I was away on that trip to Korea?” she asked, and how could Yachi forget?

Some months ago Kiyoko traveled to Korea to take pictures of national parks in Seoul for a travel magazine (and also visit relatives and sightseeing), and Yachi would never admit out loud how much she missed her during the 37 days and six and a half hours she was gone.

“Yes, I remember.”

“Well, I was talking with the boys and they told me something that, quite frankly, surprised me a lot.”

_Oh no! Did they tell her about all my whining and crying over her?_

“I certainly did not expect something like this.”

_Oh my God! Does she now think I’m disgusting!?_

“I never imagined that could happen but...”

_Please don’t stop being my friend! I’ll have to find another beautiful girl to replace you!_

“Is it true that you and Kuroo Tetsurou dated during that time?”

Yachi’s mind went blank for a moment. Her face had no expression.

_That was it?_

_That’s all they told her?_

_..._

_Phew!_

_..._

_Wait._

_Now she knows._

_She wasn’t supposed to know!_

“W-well yeah, we dated for a short time, but it was nothing serious! Really! Did I forget to tell you? I could’ve sworn I told you, but it’s over now! I’m single! Just like always!” _Great Hitoka. That last line was just brilliant._

_Shut up._

“I would have never imagined. How-”

“He likes them short and blonde," she explained simply, still no expression.

“I see.” Her companion nodded in understandment.

They stayed in silence for a few more seconds. Then Kiyoko looked at someone somewhere in the room.

“Do you think Tanaka has a girlfriend?”

Yachi’s eyes opened wide and her whole body lost the ability to move. The other girl was still not looking at her.

_You have to be kidding me._

 

   ○○○

 

_9:28 p.m._

_Good news:_

_Friend in search was found._

_Bad news:_

_Said friend was in company of an irritating individual._

Kenma found Shouyou talking (very loudly) with no other than him.

Haiba Lev.

_Good news:_

_Maybe he can back away and disappear before they see him._

_Bad news:_

_Too late._

“Kenma!”

_God dammit!_

The gray haired man approached Kenma with excitement. Oblivious of his own annoyance.

“Kenma!” called out the ginger. “Lev was just telling me about the dream he had last night. Tell him.”

“Yeah, alright.” Lev cleared his troath and continued, “So, I was in a volleyball court but, for some reason, the volleyballs were basketballs!” he explained and Hinata let out a gasp, which Kenma tought was kinda cute. “And then, Kuroo-san comes in wearing sunglasses, even tough we were indoors, and says ‘volleyball is for pimps; we play basketball now,’ " he imitated with a deep voice. Hinata made a disgusted face at that, like _ugh, not volleyball._

_Cute._

“Then we start playing something that’s like a mix between volleyball and basketball and Kuroo-san was yelling at me all the time because I didn’t know the rules.”

_Ha._

“And then... my middle school history teacher comes in and starts yelling ‘Lev, where’s your essay!?’ and I started to think that this could actually be more of a nightmare than a dream, but then Kuroo-san says ‘ma’am please, we’re trying to sport’ and then she grabs one of the basketballs and hits Kuroo-san in the head with it, and I was so shocked by that that I woke up and I was sweating!”

While Hinata was fascinated by Lev’s dream, Kenma felt in the mood to stab himself in the eye with a fork. A sensation he often has. He started to look around, trying to find someone, _anybody_ , to whom he could give a sign to come rescue him.

And there he was. That small, short-tempered but loyal man.

Yaku.

“ _Help me_ ,” he mouthed at him once they made eye contact.

“ _What?_ ” Yaku answered, clearly confused.

“ _Help. Me._ ” He nodded his head at Lev and Yaku immediately understood and sighed.

“ _Why me?_ ”

“ _Please_.”

The short man started to move his mouth quickly and gesticulate aggressively. Kenma was lost.

...

“ _What?_ ”

Yaku sighed once more and ended the silent conversation with a “ _Fine_ ” and headed towards the three men.

“Hey guys.”

“Yaku-san! Great to see you. Now I feel even more like a giant.” Lev exclaimed excited, just like he does every time he sees the man. Yaku glanced at Kenma just to see that his sight was placed on the ground.

Yaku looked aside, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uhm Lev, yesterday you were talking about a new technique you came up with the other day. Why don’t you tell me more about it?”

Lev gasped.

“Yaku-san, I knew that one day you would recognize my extraordinary talent and you’d come to me for advice! It’s okay Yaku-san, I’ll teach you all I know.”

Yaku’s eye twitched. He sent a a glare to Kenma.

_You owe me._

“Okay Lev, enlighten me.” He took him by the shirt and dragged him away from there. Leaving the other two alone for good.

Or so they thought.

Not even a minute later Taketora joined them laughing and wrapped his arms around them. His cheeks were flushed. He seemed to be a little drunk.

“Heeeyyy!!! Kenma. Redhead. How are you doing?”

Despite his loud personality, Taketora was on the list of people Kenma could actually stand, but he had the bad habit of showing up at the most inopportune moments...

_He was so close. He worked so hard to reach this point. 118 levels. It took him two months to get to where he is now, even though he played the game like 20 times a day. He couldn’t last a minute in this final level, but he was about to finish. Nothing could ruin this moment..._

_“Hey Kenma!”_

_Tora opened the door abruptly without concern of the property of others. He burst into his room shouting. Startling him and, of course, making him lose._

_“Kenma! You gotta see this! This quiz online says that if I were an ice cream flavor I’d be vanilla. Can you believe this?”_

_Of course Kenma couldn’t care less about Tora’s resemblance with ice cream. Of course Kenma couldn’t care less about Tora’s online quizes. Of course Kenma couldn’t care less about Tora’s insignificant problems that seem to be such a huge deal to him, so much that he could just erase from his mind the memory of Kenma telling him to not bother him while he’s in his room._

_“Kenma, you know this is not fair. Of all flavours out there, I can’t be the most boring one! This is bullshit. You think so too, right?”_

_Kenma didn’t even look at him. His eye twitched a couple of times. The controller fell from his hands. He slowly turned his head to Tora._

_“Uhm, Kenma? Are you okay?”_

_“Tora, what did I tell you earlier?”_

_“Earlier? Mhh... Oh! You told me that I-”_

_“I told that you can stay but do not bother me while I’m in my room.”_

_“Yeah but-”_

_“Why did you disobey me?”_

_“It’s just that, Kenma, this is important! My reputation is at stake. And my pride!” He looked around -even though he was fully aware they were alone- and whispered, “What if someone finds out that I’m vanilla?”_

_The look on Kenma’s eyes was clearly giving off the words ‘I’ll kill you in your sleep. Slowly and painfully’. But all that could come out of his mouth was a sigh as he let his head fall on the pillow on his legs._

I give up.

  
_"Wow, you like videogames? That's so cool! What's your favourite?"_

_For the first time in his life, Kenma had liked someone when only knowing them for less than three weeks. She was a few centimeters shorter than him, with long brown hair and big brown eyes. A smile bigger than planet Jupiter and two adorable dimples._

_She was, without a doubt, the cutests girl Kenma had ever met._

_It wasn't like with Shouyou. Kenma_ liked _this girl. In a romantic way._

_He was nervous right now. What's his favourite game? Of course he knows the answer. It has always been Super Smash Bros, but when his mind turns white, all he can manage to say is_

_"...I... Zelda...no..."_

_But unfortunately (or fortunately?) someone decided to come out of nowhere and sit beside them two._

_It was no other than Yamamoto Taketora._

_What a surprise._

_He sat beside them and showed them his elbow, wich had a huge blood stain. Kenma and the girl looked at it horrified._

_"Hey Kenma, do you think this will leave a scar?"_

_Both of them looked at the red spot, but Kenma wasn't surprised at all. He wouldn't expect anything less from Taketora. He didn't even need an introduction. He was the kind of person who would just walk towards people and show them a bleeding elbow without any kind of explanation._

_"Tora..." Kenma immediately realized what he said._

_Oops._

_He could have pretended he didn't know the guy with the peculiar hairstyle, but he knew that if he treated Tora like a stranger, he wouldn't miss the opportunity to show how good friends they were with embarrassing anecdotes._

_Not that this wasn't embarrassing enough._

_Tora seemed to notice the girl behind Kenma and immediately put down his arm and cleared his throat._

_"So, who's this adorable lady sitting right here? Is she your friend Kenma?"_

_Kenma discarded the "pretend to be a stranger" plan and sighed. "Tora, this is Manako. Manako, this is... Tora." He said his name trough clenched teeth._

_"Uhm, are you... friends?"_

_"Well-"_

_"Of course we're friends!" Tora interrupted. "Anyone can see that! We're like Lennon and McCartney. Sherlock and Watson. Chandler and Joey... Timon and Pumba! Hey Kenma, do you still like that movie?" He seemed too excited talking about their friendship._

_Kenma never answered the question. He didn't even have the chance; when Tora stopped talking, she pointed at him with her finger._

_"Y-your arm."_

_Kenma looked at Tora's arm and his eyes opened wide. There were drops of blood running down his arm._

_"Oh yeah. I forgot about it. Thank you. So, do you guys think this will leave a scar?" He showed them his elbow again._

_Kenma didn't want to. He knew he would regret it, but he had to ask._

_"How did this happen?"_

_"Oh, it's a funny story. Listen, I was over there trying to do a backflip. I've never done it before, but I thought it can't be that hard, but I was wrong. For a moment there I thought I was totally gonna do it and then all my dreams shattered. I had to put my arm in the way to protect my face, 'cause I need it, and now I have this." One more time, he showed them his elbow. "So, what do you think? Scar?"_

_Kenma turned his head to look at Manako. She was obviously uncomfortable._

_"Tora, this is not the best moment."_

_"Eh? Why?"_

_Kenma nodded at the girl next to him, and Tora seemed to comprehend._

_"Oh! You... I see. Sorry, I will leave you guys alone. It was a pleasure to meet you, Manako-san." He stood up and bowed at the girl as she did the same. "Well, I'm gonna take care of this and you guys have fun. Not too much fun! I mean, unless you want to. It's a free country."_

_Everyone's faces were now red. Kenma looked at Tora with eyes that said 'just leave already'._

_"Yeah, I'll be leaving now. Goodbye."_

_When he was finally gone, Kenma let out a sigh. It was as if he had been holding his breath the whole time Tora was there. "So..."_

_"So..." She cleared her troath and looked at the ground, "He seems nice."_

_"Y-yeah."_

_"Uhh, are all your friends like him?"_

_Kenma thought of Akaashi and Sawamura and for a single moment he recovered hope._

_But everything fell apart when he thought of Kuroo and Bokuto._

_"S-some of them."_

_"Oh." She sounded disappointed, but she kept her innocent smile._

_They sat there in an awkward silence for several seconds until she decided to break it._

_"It's getting late, don't you think?"_

_Kenma's eyes opened a little and then his whole face softened. He knew exactly that those words actually meant 'Can I leave? And can we not see each other tomorrow? Your friend scares me and I don't want to know the rest of them.'_

_Maybe it was a bit of an exaggeration, but people like Tora usually had this effect on people. They either love him and think he's really funny (and kind of pathethic) or they get creeped out._

_Kenma sighed and gave up again._

  
_"We're just worried about you, sweetie," the woman said with a soothing, loving voice._

_Kenma looked at his mother and saw that her expression looked just as soft and concerned as her voice._

_"I'm fine," he muttered. He didn't like lying to his parents._

_"Tetsu-chan said you fainted yesterday."_

_"I just haven't been sleeping well lately."_

_His father sat by his side and looked at him in the eyes._

_"Son, is this the same as when you were a teenager? You can't keep living this way. If you need any help you know we're here for you."_

_Kenma remained silent._

_He wasn't okay._

_He needed help._

_Buy he could manage. He could get out of this on his own._

_He didn't want his whole family to start calling him everyday and coming to his apartment to check on him._

_His mother placed her hand on his shoulder and offered him a gentle smile._

_"If it's really necessary you can come back home."_

_Oh no._

_"No! I'm okay, I swear. It's just-"_

_"Kenma! I need your help! Someone stole my clothes!"_

_Taketora yanked the door open and got inside the house._

_He was wearing only his underwear._

_The three family members looked at him perplexed, but Kenma's face was on fire._

_When Tora finally noticed the two guests, he stood straight and looked around nervous._

_"Mr. and Mrs. Kozume. I didn't know you were coming to visit."_

_Nobody said anything. There was nothing anyone could say to make the situation any less awkward._

_And Kenma just wanted to die right at that moment._

_"So..." Tora continued. Still clearly embarrassed, "How are you today?"_

_Kenma could not believe him._

Just kill me already.

  
So yeah.

He wasn't the best with timing.

"Hey Tora."

"Yamamoto-san! Hi!"

"Guys, have you heard?" He crouched a little to get to their level. "It is said that someone is going to confess their _love_ tonight," he said in a low voice, as if it was the major gossip of the year.

_Ugh._

Kenma didn't care about other people's love life, but Hinata looked surprised and excited.

For like the sixth time that night.

"Really? Who? Who do you think it is?"

"Well, there's a lot of people here. It could be anybody." His eyes found Kenma's. " _Anybody._ "

...

_Uh?_

Taketora kept staring at him for some seconds, waiting for the blonde to get the message, but it was futile.

He made signs with his head and eyes directing them at the ginger and Kenma's brain finally clicked.

_Does he thinks I like Shouyou?_

_He thinks I'm going to confess to Shouyou tonight?_

His eyes opened wide.

"Well, anyway. I won't keep disturbing you. I just hope everything goes out well tonight for everybody." He winked at Kenma.

Hinata smiled innocently, "Me too. I hope whoever it is they don't get rejected."

Tora was noticeably overjoyed by hearing that. The smile he sent to Kenma said it all.

_What's wrong with everyone I know?_

Kenma could only hope that the rumors are true just to show Tora that he's wrong.

But he never has high expectations anyway.

 

   ○○○

 

_9:47 p.m._

"Hey, Asahi-san."

"Yes, Noya?"

"I have a prediction for you."

"A prediction?"

"Yeah, want to hear it?"

"Uh, sure."

Was Noya always this clingy?

Yes. Yes, he was. That was a stupid question.

But there's something about the clinginess he's displaying right now. It's different. It's special. It's developed.

It's suffocating.

His hands were all over him. Maybe it had to do with the state of intoxication of the little man, but Asahi doesn't remember Noya being this affectionate when drunk, and he has seen him drunk way too many times. It's kinda like a lifestyle by this point.

So what is it? Is there something in the air or..?

"I predict that by the time you turn 25... you're going to get smooched," he said proudly, feeling like a professional fortune teller.

Asahi's face was burning and in a matter of seconds it turned into a nice shade of red.

"B-by who?"

"You'll have to wait and find out."

He genuinely didn't know who Noya was talking about, just because he was _that_ oblivious, but of course he knows Noya can't see the future so he obviously has something planned. He sounded too confident.

"Don't worry Asahi-san, you won't be disappointed. It might even be the best smooch you're ever gonna get."

Asahi showed him a gentle smile with closed eyes, "Please don't make me nervous."

"There's no reason to be nervous, but do not understimate my powers, Asahi-san. I assure you it will happen."

That's not really good news for someone that's basically a giant baby.

Now he's going to spend the rest of the night anxiously waiting.

_Great._

 

   ○○○

 

_10: 14 p.m._

"Now tell me," Tendou picked up a seven of hearts and showed it to Goshiki. All the time, Semi was observing by their side. "Is this your card?".

"Yes! That's my card! How did you do that?" Goshiki's mind had just exploded.

"A magician never reveals his secrets."

Goshiki made a pout, "Aww, come on! Please tell me."

"Sorry. No can do, kiddo."

The bowl cut boy stuck out his bottom lip and showed Tendou a pair of big puppy eyes that he could never resist.

"Okay, I'll show you."

"Yay! You're the best Tendou-san!" Goshiki cheered.

"Yeah, I know."

Tendou spent the next twenty minutes trying to teach Goshiki a trick that should not take twenty minutes to learn.

"Now you can show that to your friends and you'll be the coolest kid around."

"Thanks! I'm gonna go show Taichi."

Once he was gone, Semi took this oportunity to approach Tendou.

"That boy is not good for your ego."

"My ego is just fine. Considering that I'm a man who possesses great skills in magic, volleyball and art, not to mention my sweet and charming personality, you could actually say that I'm pretty modest. I don't praise myself enough for my worth."

Semi rolled his eyes and Tendou grinned, taking a step closer to Semi.

"I'm also a master in the art of wooing," he said in a low voice. Semi's eyes widened a little and he looked away. "Should I make a demonstration, Semi-Semi?"

Semi's cheeks didn't take long to turn red.

"No, it's okay."

Tendou stood even closer. "Are you sure?"

Semi didn't know how to answer. He knew that he wanted to say yes, but he also knew that he wouldn't. There was just no way. He wanted to escape, but at the same time, he wanted to stay. Tendou was invading a lot of his personal space and the most irritating part is that he _liked it_.

But his thoughts were soon interrupted when Goshiki came back to them whining and they immediately parted away.

"Tendou-san! I didn't do it right!"

As Tendou showed the trick to Goshiki for the hundredth time, Semi moved to the side and pretended nothing happened.

He scowled.

_Dammit._

 

   ○○○

 

_10:30 p.m._

"Do you ever feel like your life is slowly slipping through your fingers?"

Yachi, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi all sat around the small table drinking. The small girl sounded miserable as she speaked, looking only at the glass in her hands.

"Nope," answered Tsukishima, not even interested in where Yachi's question came from.

Yamaguchi looked at his blonde friend and then at the other blonde and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm barely twenty three, and I can't even remember anything that happened in my life until now."

Both men seemed confused but kept listening.

"Life is short. If you close your eyes for a moment, when you open them you might be lying in your bed, old and lonely, thinking about all the opportunities you wasted when you were young." Her eyes widened as she looked at nowhere. "And yet... I can't bring myself to confess to the person I like!"

A couple of silent seconds passed until Tsukishima decided to break said silence.

"That was it?"

Yachi looked at him, but didn't say anything. She sighed and dropped her head on the table.

"Come on, Tsukki. Have you never had a crush on someone but you couldn't tell them?" Yamaguchi asked.

That question made Tsukki a little nervous and put him in a situation he didn't want to be in.

_Yes. Yes that has happened to me. It has been happening for some years now and it's you. It's you. You are the person I can't confess to and I don't know why, okay? I don't know why I'm such a coward. I don't even know why I like you. I just woke up one day and I wanted to kiss you._

That would be the answer.

But that wasn't really something appropiate to say. Instead, he went to Yachi to try to change the subject.

"Uhh, don't you think you had enough? You're talking nonsense." He tried to take the glass away from her but she didn't let him.

"No!" She then proceeded to gulp down the whole content of the glass.

"Better?" asked Yamaguchi.

"Mhmh," she answered as she placed her head on the table and closed her eyes.

Both guys looked at each other and shrugged.

 

   ○○○

 

_10:49 p.m._

"Hey Oikawa, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"What's your type?"

"My type?"

"Yeah, what kind of guy do you like? What are you into?"

Oikawa tilted his head in thought at Makki's question. Iwaizumi and Matsukawa watched silently the whole time.

"Oh well, I like someone who is-wait, why the sudden interest? Are you trying to get some information from me to use it later as blackmail?" Oikawa accused as he looked at the pink haired man with suspicion.

"We would never," answered Mattsun, moving his head with every word, because of course, everything that Makki did or said was somewhere related with Mattsun too.

"Come on, have some faith in us. We're just asking. Trying to have a nice conversation here," Makki pointed. Oikawa made a face of distrust for a moment until he sighed and decided to answer the question.

"Okay, well, I guess I like someone who's confident. That's one of the best attributes someone can have."

"Uhuh."

"I also like someone who's not afraid to say what's on their mind. Someone gentle but with a powerful presence."

"Interesting."

"Tall, nice hair, broad shoulders, strong jawline."

Makki and Mattsun shared a look and then returned their sight at Oikawa.

"Wow Oikawa, it almost sounds like you're talking about someone in specific," Makki said smirking.

"What do you mean?"

"Did any of the things you said remind you of someone?" Mattsun tried, but Oikawa still didn't get it, and Makki finally responded.

"You were describing Ushijima."

Oikawa's mind went blank.

Ushijima.

Ushijima?

Ushijima!

"What!? No way! I wasn't."

"You were."

"There's no way Ushiwaka is my ideal guy. I would never date him." Oikawa crossed his arms and looked away offended.

"Ushijima posses all of the qualities you mentioned," Mattsun replied.

"No, he doesn't. He's not someone that speaks his mind, he's a tactless being who doesn't care about people's feelings. He insults them without even knowing it!"

"You said you like a confident guy. He's pretty confident," added Makki.

"But it's not charming in him! He creeps me out. He's a stalker. Everytime I turn around he's there with his ' _you should have come to Shiratorizawa_ '. It's like his motto."

"He's also physically like your ideal guy."

"So is Dai-chan, but I don't want to date him. That doesn't prove anything."

The guys remained unconvinced and Oikawa could tell because of their ridiculous smirks, but he was really annoyed.

"I can't stand him."

Their faces didn't change.

"I can't stand you guys either. I knew it wasn't just a simple question. You're always up to something."

"How were we supossed to know that Ushijima is your perfect match?"

"He's not!" Oikawa shouted, making the other men laugh at his impatience. "I mean it! I'd rather date anyone else in this place other than Ushiwaka."

"Anyone?" Mattsun asked, arching his eyebrows.

"Even Iwaizumi?" Makki joined.

Iwaizumi's voice was finally heard, but the only sound he made was "Huh?"

Oikawa was taken aback by this. He looked at Iwaizumi for a moment, before looking away and answered, visibly nervous,

"I-I mean, I woldn't date Iwa-chan, but if I had to choose between him and Ushiwaka, I'd have to pick him."

"Gee, thanks Shittykawa. What an honor," said Iwaizumi monotonous.

"You should know, Iwa-chan, that there's a lot of people out there who would die to date me."

"Yeah, your fangirls that don't know how irritating you really are," Iwaizumi answered, smacking Oikawa in the back of the head. He whined and grabbed his head.

"Do you guys hang out with me just to bully me?"

"You wouldn't get bullied if you didn't deserve it."

While watching the two lovebirds arguing as usual, Hanamaki had an idea and, according to Oikawa, that's never something good.

His eyes wandered around the room until he found the person he was looking for.

The perfect man for the case.

No other than Blunt Kunimi.

"Hey, Kunimi!" he yelled, making the man turn his head at the direction of the voice. "Come here."

Kunimi sighed and waited for a couple of seconds, as if he was thinking if he really wanted to go. Finally, he started to walk towards the group of the elder men.

"What?" he asked, unmotivated.

"Quick question: do you think that Oikawa and Ushijima would make a good couple?"

"Yes," he answered, without even thinking it. The other four men's faces were quick to change into a surprised expression, especially Oikawa's.

"What!? Why do you say that?"

"I don't know. The sexual tension." Oikawa froze hearing those words. Everybody else in that circle just chuckled.

They did not call him Blunt Kunimi for nothing.

But only Hanamaki called him that.

"What sexual tension? There is no sexual tension between us! All I can think about when I see him is that I want to hit him, not fuck him!"

"And you think too much about him."

"Because I hate him!"

"You even have stated to have dreams about him."

"Where I bite off his fingers!"

"Kinky." Hanamaki and Matsukawa's smirks were erased from their faces and replaced with startled looks.

Oikawa decided to give up and huffed, "You know what? I don't care what you say. I know that a relationship between me and Ushiwaka would never work and I don't even want it to work."

"Mhh, and what do you think his opinion might be?" Makki asked.

"Probably the same. He doesn't have feeling for me."

"Why don't we ask him?"

Oikawa made a sound that showed his annoyance but started looking for the man in question anyway.

"Ushiwaka!" he shouted once he found him, succesfully calling his atention as if he were a dog. "Come here!"

And like a good dog, he obeyed.

"Yes?"

"Can I leave?" asked Kunimi, but Makki placed an arm around his shoulders and silenced him with a 'shh' as Oikawa proceeded speaking.

"Listen, these morons here think that you and I would make a good couple and want to know what you think, so I told them that you would never in your life date me because you hate me just as much as I hate you, but they don't believe me. Could you please prove me right?" he said, with a boring tone, as if he didn't even need to explain the situation because it was just ridiculous.

But Ushijima did not give the answer he was waiting for.

"I do not hate you, and to answer your question, I think that we would be perfect for each other.

In that instant, every single emotion left Oikawa's body.

"... what?"

"If you take into consideration our great talent in sports, how ambicious we are and how much we both aim for succes in life, we would definitely make quite a powerful pair."

Ushijima left everyone shocked, even Kunimi, but especially Oikawa. His eye twitched.

"But I do not have any kind of attraction towards you whatsoever, so it is not something you have to worry about."

Oikawa's body slowly relaxed and he let out a sigh, "Well, at least that's kind of comforti- wait, what?" He quickly turned his head to look at Ushijima straight in the eyes, "What is that supossed to mean? Am I not good enough for you or something?"

Iwaizumi smacked him in the head again, but this time with much more force.

"You're not doing this now!"

 

   ○○○

 

_10:55 p.m._

"Are you okay, Sensei? You look a little off."

Ukai had spent a long time watching Takeda-sensei sitting with an expression of sadness and sighing from time to time. When he got closer to him, he got visibly scared at the unexpected intrusion, but relaxed once he saw the familiar face.

"Oh, sorry Ukai-kun, but I'm fine. Thanks for worrying."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes...well..."

"Well..."

He sighed one more time. "It's just that... seeing all these young people in here makes me feel a little... anguished," he explained.

That is not what Ukai was expecting. He thought it would be something different, like a dead pet or something.

Unexpected, but relatable.

"Yeah, I understand the feeling."

Sensei was looking at the ground. Thinking.

"I mean, people my age already has kids, and I'm still single."

Ukai watched him sideways. Was this deeper than he thought?

"Yeah well, I'm not that much younger than you and I'm still single and childless too."

They remained silent for a few seconds, until Takeda suddenly spoke.

"You know, my sister has been married for four years and she recently had a baby," he said, with a smile on his face that would soon vanish. "When we went to visit her at the hospital, my parents looked at her as if they were full of pride, and whenever they looked at me... it was like they were... dissappointed. As if they didn't want to say it. Like, if you asked them, they would probably deny it, but I knew it."

If Ukai thought he looked sad before, now he was depressed. He needed to say something. He cleared his troath and put his arms behind his head.

"I understand. I have three nephews. They always ask me when am I going to give them an aunt and some cousins to play with."

Another sigh from part of Takeda. "It's kind of distressing, isn't it? It's not that I'm not happy with my life, but it's the kind of things that I can't stop thinking about."

"I don't feel that way," Ukai disagreed. "Worrying about the future is pointless. If you're always thinking about it, you can't enjoy the present, and if you don't enjoy the present, you won't leave anything for the future. You won't make any memories."

"Even if they're bad memories?"

"Those are the ones that are going to make you laugh or cry when you remember them, and that's what it's all about: feeling. They make you feel things. That's always something good."

Takeda stared at him in awe. As if he had said something really inspiring, even though it didn't sound that way for Ukai.

"Do you feel like you are making memories, Ukai-kun?"

"Maybe. Today will definitely be a good memory."

They stood in silence, watching. Watching at all the young people surrounding them, trying to not remember when they were their age.

"Maybe."

 

   ○○○

 

_11:03 p.m._

"You're going to burn holes into him."

Shirabu jumped a little in his seat when Kawanishi talked into his ear. Removing him from his trance. A moment ago, his eyes were focused on Ushijima as he finished talking with group of men of which he could only remember Oikawa's name.

"Don't you have to be a bother somewhere else?"

"Nope. Today is your turn. I also need to make Goshiki think that I'm busy. He's nice but, I don't want him to show me another stupid magic trick."

Shirabu rolled his eyes and ignored him, returning to his previous activity.

"You're so fucking thirsty. You don't even try to hide it."

Shirabu didn't move. He stayed in his position: his arms supporting his head on the side of the couch.

"I'd hit you," he muttered.

"If..."

"If... you weren't right."

Kawanishi placed his arms behind his head as he smirked in victory, "Why don't you tell him?"

"He doesn't like me."

"How do you know?"

"He doesn't seem to like anybody."

"True, but you could at least try and see if he's not a robot."

Shirabu turned to look at him for a second, before returning his sight to the other side again.

"What would I even say?"

"How about 'hello' or 'how are you?' or 'I want you inside me in the next fifteen minutes'?"

This time when Shirabu turned around, he stayed that way, sending Kawanishi a death glare.

"I dare you to look me in the eyes and tell me that's a lie," Kawanishi challenged, making Shirabu sigh as he gave up, and his expression changed into a much calmer one. Kawanishi laughed at him and tried again, serious this time, "Maybe ask him out?"

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I just can't."

Kawanishi scoffed and sat back.

"See, people's life would be so much better if they just said what they wanted. So what if he rejects you? He won't think any different of you. You'd still be friends. You got nothing to loose."

What apparently seemed like some innocent words to Kawanishi, to Shirabu those words meant the end of the world. His face showed his anger.

"So what if he rejects me? So what if he rejects me!?"

Kawanishi had to admit, he was scared. Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut.

"I'd rather live uncertain if he likes me or not than spend my days just thinking of how it is a FACT that he does NOT like me and he never will!" He moved closer to Kawanishi with every word until he was just millimeters away from him, looking at him with wide eyes.

Kawanishi put his hands in front of himslf in defense, "But there's still a chance that he might like you and," he said, nervous. "wouldn't you be happier to know it? It's like that man's cat, what was it? Schro... something. You'll never know until you open the goddamn box."

Shirabu backed away as he sighed, suddenly not so furious. He waited a few seconds before speaking.

"If someone tells you that they're going to give you a kitten as a Christmas gift or something, you'd be really happy. Now, when you open the box, you find out the kitten is dead and you get sad. Which feeling do you think was greater: happiness or sadness?"

Kawanishi didn't answer. He didn't make any sound. The air seemed a little cold all of a sudden.

"I don't know," Shirabu continued, "but I do know that the moment I saw the dead kitten, I would have probably wished to have never received it in the first place."

Silence again. Shirabu was waiting for an asnwer, or maybe he didn't want to keep talking. Whatever it was, he just did not expect what came out of Kawanishi's mouth.

"Are you really comparing a dead cat with asking some guy out?"

Shirabu stared at him. He felt like he was shot. A litte. He buried his head in his hands. Nothing really big happended, but for some reason he felt a little worse.

"Also, what the the fuck? Did someone forget to put holes in the box?"

Possibly for the first time that night, Shirabu laughed.

 

   ○○○

 

_11:17 p.m._

"And then Kuroo-san gets hit in the head with a basketball and-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You had a great dream," Yaku interrupted. "Listen Lev, you've been talking nonstop for the last twenty minutes and I'm starting to get a headache. Could you please delight me with some silence?"

Once Yaku and Lev left Kenma and Hinata alone, they went to a corner to talk about diverse subjects, volleyball being the main one, but as the little chat flowed, Lev began talking about things Yaku couldn't care less, and the little man had no other option than to listen. He was falling deeper into a hole he knew it would be hard to get out of.

This was a sacrifice.

Lev watched him with concern, "Yaku-san, you're too stressed."

"I'm not," Yaku denied. "I just feel a little tired."

"You could do some yoga. It's great for relaxation."

"Lev, I'm not stressed. I'm fine," he repeated, but Lev still seemed to be unconvinced.

"It doesn't seem like it. Everytime I look at you you have that big frown on your face. It's like you always make sure that something bad happens to you at morning so you can wear that expression all day. Yeah, just like that."

Yaku's face was on fire, and not because he was embarrassed, he was enraged. The frown he was showing was the exact one Lev was talking about.

"You're going to get wrinkles," Lev commented, oblivious of Yaku's obvious fury.

"Lev, for your own good, I recomend yout to shut up," Yaku said trough clenched teeth.

"Try to take deep breaths. Come on, do it with me," Lev proposed. A big and stupid smile covering his whole face.

"I'm not doing anything."

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Please!"

"No!"

"Please!"

"Fine!"

Lev clapped a little as he smiled again. "Okay, it's easy, just breath in," He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "and breath out." Then he let all the air out.

Yaku immitated him.

"In... and out," Lev continued.

They repeated the process a few more times.

"Don't you feel more relaxed?" Lev asked.

"A little."

"See, it works! If you do that everytime you feel stressed, you won't start seeing wrinkles on your forehead at the age of thirty, and you're really close to that, Yaku-san"

All the relaxation went down the drain so fast and the anger that Yaku got just rid of was coming back.

"Does it also works when I feel like kicking something?"

"Uh, I guess so," Lev answered confused. "Why?"

Yaku started breathing again.

Screw the sacrifice. Kenma was paying him back for this.

 

   ○○○

 

_11:22 p.m._

"Bokuto-san, I need to tell you something."

Bokuto was in a state that was like a mix between extreme anxiety and pure bliss. While a drunk Akaashi's hands roamed his arms and he offered him an insinuating smile, he was in heaven and in hell at the same time.

Drunk Akaashi was scary for the owl boy. He got way more confident and touchy. Bokuto internally loved it, but it was torture on the outside. He also got funnier. He would take any challenge given to him. Kuroo loved it.

"Bokuto-san, I need to tell you something," Akaashi said in a low voice.

"W-what is it?" Bokuto's words came out broken. As if he had chewed them before releasing them.

"It's... something important."

"And what is it?"

"It's... something super important!"

"And it is..?"

"It's something that may change your life forever!"

"Yes..." He was honestly geting tired. "And that is?"

Akaashi made a sign with his hand to indicate him to get closer, "Come here."

And that's what Bokuto did.

"Closer."

If he moved any closer, they would find themselves in a very intimate and compromising position. Bokuto wanted to avoid that. "I'm right here, you can tell me."

Akaashi moved his mouth to his ear. Bokuto could feel his warm breath tingling his neck.

"I really like... boiled rapeseed plants," he whispered.

Bokuto inspectioned Akaashi's face to make sure he was not kidding.

He looked serious.

"I already knew that, Akaashi."

"Really?" He seemed genuinely surprised. "I guess you know a lot about me then." He smiled and giggled a little.

"Akaashi, you're too drunk. Don't you wanna go home?"

"No," he whined, "I'm having fun. I want to spend more time with you, Bokuto-san."

Akaashi started stroking Bokuto's nape slowly, making the latter's eyes almost come out of his face.

"Bokuto-san."

He gulped. "Yes?"

"I lied."

"You lied?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. That's not what I really wanted to tell you," he confesed, drifting away his sight.

"Oh, and are you going to tell me?"

"I don't know."

"Why not?"

"'Cause it's a secret."

"I'm good at keeping secrets!" said Bokuto, a little excited.

"Are you?"

"Yeah! I never told anyone about Kuroo's secret."

"What secret?"

"I can't tell you."

"Come on!"

"Nope."

He crossed his arms over his chest with a small pout. Akaashi sighed and tried again.

"If you tell me Kuroo-san's secret, I'll tell you mine."

"Really?" Bokuto asked excited. He looked around to make sure nobody was close enough to hear, "Okay, listen, Kuroo told me that when he was in middle school, one day he was texting his mom in the middle of class because he had diarrhea and he didn't want anyone to know, and he was so panicked that when his teacher caught him, he accidentally said

_"Yes, mom?" said a twelve years old Kuroo sitting in the back of the classroom. All his classmates immediately started laughing at him while his teacher had a big frown in her face._

_He got detention for texting in class and his mother laughed at him all the way back home._

_One of his worst memories._

Bokuto grabbed his stomach and leaned down while laughing uncontrollably. Even Akaashi's lips were tugging into a smile, trying to prevent the little laugh caught inside his mouth to escape.

"That's so cliché!" commented Bokuto with tears in his eyes.

Once he calmed down and was able to talk normally again, he straightened and cleared his troath.

"So, what's your secret?"

Akaashi got caught off guard, "Uh?"

"You told me that you would tell me your secret if I told you Kuroo's secret?" he reminded him.

"No way! I'm not gonna tell you. You just told me Kuroo-san's secret. You're obviously not good at keeping them."

Bokuto felt betrayed.

Completely and utterly betrayed.

"Akaaaashi! Come on! You promised!" he cried, pouting like a child.

"No, I didn't," Akaashi answered, but seeing the other boy whining and sulking made him feel really bad, especially knowing that even the smallest things could make Bokuto feel despised. He gave in to the stubbornness, "Fine, I'll tell you." He returned his mouth to Bokuto's ear and whispered, "I like you, Bokuto-san."

And there, in that exact moment, Bokuto's whole world froze. It's like his entire being numbed and he couldn't even move a single finger.

Akaashi likes him?

_Likes him?_

Was it a joke?

Was it the alcohol talking?

"What?" is the only word he managed to utter, but his brain quickly started running again. "You like me?"

The pretty boy nodded.

"For real?"

He nodded again.

"I've liked you for a long time. At nights, I can't stop thinking about you," he confessed, without a single trace of embarrassment.

Now, Bokuto's face was so red he could swear all the blood in his body migrated to his face, and it was not helping that Akaashi wouldn't back away one step.

"Your bright eyes," he started "your big smile, your soft and fluffy hair," he ruffled Bokuto's hair- apparently funny for him, but Bokuto was terrified- "your big arms and your wide back and your _thighs_ -"

"A-akaashi," Bokuto interrupted, "you're definitely not okay. I think you should go home."

"Okay, would you take me?"

"No!" _Do you want me to die, Akaashi?_ "No, no, Kuroo will."

Akaashi didn't seem very pleased with the idea, but he didn't object.

"Aww, okay."

Bokuto clapped his hands to finish the conversation and pretend it never happened. As if everything was _normal_.

_Normal!_

"I'm gonna go look for him. You stay here." He took a step and started leaving the other man behind.

Akaashi obeyed like a good boy.

"Goodbye, Bokuto-san."

Bokuto turned around for a last time and an unintentionally nervous shout came out when he wanted to say his goodbye.

"Goodbye, Akaashi!"

Last words and he was gone.

 

   ○○○

 

_11:30 p.m._

Ennoshita watched curiously as Tanaka slumped over the table while spreading vibes of misery. Bored of seeing him drown in said misery, he intervened.

"Something wrong?"

Tanaka slowly moved his head so it was resting over his chin on the table.

"It's just... how hard can it be?"

Ennoshita made a face of confusion and brought his hands closer to the other man. His body followed.

"What do you mean?" he asked, making Tanaka look at him with depressed eyes.

"Do you know when's the last time I had a date?" Ennoshita didn't move nor made any gesture, only waited for the answer. "Ten months."

Ennoshita wanted to say something, but didn't know what. Ten months was a long time for someone like Tanaka, who was into... any kind of person, but was it too much for someone with a little more... standards?

Tanaka interrupted Ennoshita's thoughts with his whining, "Is there something wrong with me?" He stood straight, mood changing drastically,"I mean," he counted with his fingers, "I'm funny, I'm athletic, I'm amazing at volleybal..."

"Well, you're kind of creepy."

Tanaka stayed quiet for a moment before groaning and slumping over the table once again.

Now Ennoshita felt bad. He didn't mean to sound so offensive.

He thought that Baldy was already used to it.

"But, if you look at it from another perspective, it's kind of endearing," he tried to remedy, "Like, weird but cute."

Tanaka sighed and he didn't have the appearance of misery or depression anymore. Now he just looked tired.

"Thanks but, I don't know, maybe I just have bad luck." He straightened again and began telling his tale, "When I was a teenager, my eyes were only focused on Kiyoko-san. Her beauty and grace overshadowed that of all the others, but now that I'm older I think hey, there's a lot of people in the world. If it didn't work out with Kiyoko-san, maybe it's because she's not the one."

"She barely even talked to you."

Tanaka ignored him and continued, "But being single and in search of love it's harder than it seems."

Ennoshita took his chance and stood closer to Tanaka, smiling softly.

"Well, maybe you're not searching enough. There's people out there that, you just have to say the words, and they'll be in your bed," he said with dreamy eyes, touching his arm.

"But where?" Tanaka didn't even flinch at Ennoshita's touch.

_Really?_

He tried again, smiling with more cheerfulness, "The answer could be right in front of you."

Tanaka raised his head to see who was just in front of him some steps away.

"Tsukishima?"

Ennoshita mentally facepalmed himself. "No, someone closer to you. Someone that has always been there for you. That was always by your side. Someone VERY close to you." He moved even closer.

"You don't mean..?" Tanaka's eyes widened, "Noya-san!"

...

_Nooo._

"I don't know. It seems too risky. Our friendship is not like others. He's my guardian. We got each other's back when the world fails us. I can't ruin that," he explained, closing his fist.

Ennoshita moved away. Not daring to speak.

"Thanks for the concern anyway." Tanaka smiled.

_Fuck you, Baldy._

 

○○○

 

_11:35 p.m._

Suga spotted that little puff of blonde hair at the level of people's back between the crowd and called,

"Noya!"

The tiny man was quick to react at his name. He walked to where Suga was standing. Waiting for him. Not happy.

"Yes, Suga-san?"

"Noya, where is the cake?" He crossed his arms and frowned, clearly mad. Noya on the other hand, was just confused.

"The cake?"

"The cake that I told you to buy for Daichi and Asahi. Where is it?"

"Mhh... I forgot it?"

Suga sighed and grabbed the bridge of his nose.

"I gave you one job."

"I'm sorry!" Noya bowed, embarrassed, "Please forgive my irresponsability!

"What are we gonna do now? It's 11:35 on December 31. Where am I going to get a cake right now?"

"We can ask Asahi-san for one of the cakes from his shop."

"We can't do that; the cake is for him."

"We can go to his shop and get it ourselves."

"How? It's closed."

"Leave it to me!" Noya exclaimed with his thumb up. "I won't dissappoint you this time!"

  
"Asahi-san!" Noya headed towards the man.

"Yes?"

"Asahi-san, I need your help. I left my hat in your shop yesterday and I need to get it back."

"Really? I don't remember you ever wearing a hat."

Noya gasped, fakely offended, "I wear that hat everyday! I think the age is affecting your memory, Asahi-san."

Asahi slowly closed his eyes trying to comprehend the situation, "Right," he said, in obvious disbelief but also obvious disregard, "and you need to get back your hat right now?"

"Is my most treasured possesion. My grandpa gave it to me. I won't be able to sleep knowing that it's not receiding under the safety of our home!" He started crying expertly, knowing Asahi couldn't resist.

"Okay, I guess we can make a quick trip and-"

"No!" The crying immediately stopped. "Don't bother, I can go get it myself."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you don't trust me?"

"It's not tha-"

"Okay, if you really don't trust me then I'll take Suga-san with me. Would that make you feel releived?"

"S-sure, but he problem is that the keys are at my house."

"You can give me the keys to your house then."

Asahi appeared to be unsure for a minute, but ended up giving Noya his keys, "Fine, here."

_Suga will be there, it's okay._

"Alright, thanks! We'll be back in no time." Noya turned around and left, leaving Asahi feeling like a lost kid without his mom.

And without his keys.

_Sure..._

  
"Suga-san!" Noya moved the metal in his hand through the air, "See?"

Suga took the keys. "Great. We need the cake before midnight so we gotta hurry the fuck up," he said and Noya nodded with a big smile. "Let's go."

  
They went from Suga's apartment to Asahi's apartment to Asahi's bakery shop and back to Suga's house in less than twenty minutes.

They ran.

Suga held the doorknob but didn't open the door. Before entering, he crouch a little to whisper to Noya, in case there was someone right on the other side of the door.

"Noya, listen, I'm going to take the cake to the kitchen while you go distract Daichi and Asahi. Got it?"

"Yes!"

They put the plan in motion and Suga walked akwardly fast to the kitchen with the cake in his hands while Noya, unable to find Daichi, headed towards Asahi's way.

"Asahi-san, are you having fun?"

 _There it is the noise again_ , Asahi thought.

"Hi Noya." He examined him and pursed his lips, "And your hat?"

"My hat? Oh, uhm, a dog ate it on the way back."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"You don't seem affected by it. Didn't you say it was your most treasured possesion?"

"Pfft, it's just a hat." He sat by his side indifferently.

Asahi slowly brought his fingers to his temples.

Right...

  
_With Suga._

Yamaguchi stood at Suga's side at the fridge while Suga put the cake inside it.

"What's that, Suga-san?"

"Is the cake for Daichi and Asahi," he answered, closing the door of the fridge. "Noya forgot to buy it today so we went to get it at Asahi's shop."

"Why now?"

"I just told you, he forgot to get it earlier."

"He was supossed to bring it to your house before the party?"

"Exactly."

"And you just realized?"

Suga's facial features tighened, "Yes." He said the single word so slow. "I guess it's partly my fault."

Yamaguchi raised an eyebrow.

"But don't tell Noya. It's better to let him believe it's all his fault and that now he's forgiven."

Yamaguchi raised his other eyebrow and his mouth formed a straight line.

"Okay."

 

   ○○○

 

_11: 55 p.m._

Daichi got up fom his seat and concentrated his sight on the wall.

"Tanaka."

The man sitting somewhere close arrived at his side as fast as he could when he heard his ex-captain call for him.

"What's wrong?"

"Motivate me."

Tanaka excitement became pure confusion. "What?"

"I'm gonna need a lot of courage for tonight, so give me some motivating words," Daichi explained.

"Uh, okay, here I go:" he went into position, "You can do it, Dai-san! You're the man! You're invincible! The strongest! You got the power! You're a god that emerged from the heavens and dazzled everyone with your incomparable power! You're the sexiest man alive!"

"Okay, that's enough. That's enough. Thanks." He made a gesture with his hand to try to calm him down.

"Why do you need motivation for anyway?"

"I can't tell you, but you'll see it later. Everyone will see!" He frowned and closed his fist with determinations, but several seconds later his body began shaking.

Tanaka noticed this.

"Because you're the man!" He tried to bring his confidence back.

"Because I'm the man!" Daichi repeated, a little louder, still sounded a little scared.

  
Some minutes before midnight, everybody gathered together to sing Happy Birthday to Daichi and Asahi, and when everybody was finished with the singing and clapping, Asahi looked more analytical than happy.

"Did I make that cake?"

"We paid for it!" Noya yelled and Asahi mouthed an Oh.

  
After several minutes of observing the fireworks, Daichi moved closer to Suga on his balcony.

It was the time.

He took a deep breath.

"Suga, can I talk to you?"

Suga loked at Daichi, unable to contain his excited smile. Daichi blushed a little at the sight.

_You're beautiful._

"Sure," Suga answered, "What's up?"

"Uhh..." Daichi thought that he wouldn't want anybody too interfere and ruin the moment (Kuroo). "Can we go inside?"

Suga nodded and they both went inside the empty living room.

Once there, Daichi fidgeted and switched from one foot to the other, "Beautiful night, isn't it?" He tried to make conversation before... the big part.

"Yeah."

Daichi took too long to talk and Suga's sight began drifting away to outside of the balcony.

"Is... Noya kissing Asahi?"

Daichi moved quickly to see, "It seems so." At any other time, Daichi would have been shocked, but right now he couldn't care less. All he cared about was Suga.

"What the fuck?"

"Suga."

His name called his attention, "Oh, sorry. You were saying?"

"Suga, I need to tell you something and it's very important so please listen."

"I'm listening."

Daichi didn't talk for a few seconds.

"When you're ready, Daichi."

"Sorry," he apologized. A little blush started to show in his face. He took courage in form of air and let it all out, "Suga, we have known each other for a long time and you've always been one of my best friends and you're really important to me, so I hope that after I tell you this you won't see me any different, and I hope you'll still want to be my friend."

"What are you saying? Why would I stop being your friend? Did you kill someone?" Suga joked and laughed.

"No, it's just..." Air again. "Okay, here I go." He grabbed Suga's arms with force and if he was blushing before, now his face was dyed a bright red. "Suga, I... I..."

"You..."

"I... wanted to ask you for your skin care routine!"

"Uh?"

"Your face is so flawless and I need to know your secret!"

Suga sighed and after some seconds he crouched down and started laughing loudly.

  
"That was it? I thought it was something worse!" He straightened and wiped the tears that formed in his eyes. "There's no shame in wanting to take care of your skin, Daichi. It's super important. And how do you know that I have a skin care routine?- which I totally do, by the way- but I mean, this could be all natural," he said, gesturing to his face.

Out of nowhere, Tanaka and Nishinoya (or the Douchebag Duo, like Daichi liked to call them) appeared wearing 'Happy New Year' hats and glasses.

"Suga-san, Dai-san. You're missing all the fun."

"Come on!" They were dragged away back to the balcony by Noya.

Yep.

Daichi chickened out.

Again.

He did it on Christmas and now he did it on the New Year.

Maybe he should just kill himself.

  
_03:03 a.m._

Daichi spent the last thirty minutes sitting on Suga's couch repeating insult after insult to himself.

_Idiot, baby, weak, coward, coward, coward._

_Coward!_

_..._

_Mouse!_

"Hey," Suga's voice called his attention and it was at that moment when he realized that everybody had left already. "You can stay if you're too tired," Suga offered.

"Sorry, I'll leave now."

"I mean it, you can stay. I don't mind."

Daichi would love to say yes to the offer, but he couldn't. He was going to go home and cry himself to sleep.

"Thanks, but I'll pass."

Suga stared.

He stared and he kept staring.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah, just tired," Daichi lied, but he couldn't fool Suga.

"You don't seem just tired."

Daichi didn't answer. Why would he if Suga already knew? He wouldn't pretend to be happy. He couldn't.

"Is there something bothering you?" Suga's voice sounded so tender. He's always been so loving and careful towards others.

_You're an angel._

"What's wrong? You can tell me."

"I don't care about your skin care routine," he said flatly. He didn't need any courage for that. It wasn't the confession.

"What?"

"That's not what I wanted to tell you."

"What did you want to tell me then?"

"I can't say it." He didn't do it before, he wouldn't do it now.

"Why not? Daichi, tell me," Suga whined but Daichi wouldn't open his mouth. "You know what? If it makes it easier for you, I won't look at you." He turned to the side and covered his eyes with his hands, waiting to hear Daichi's voice, but he had no luck. "You can say it."

He kept waiting and started to get impatient. He nudged Daichi's foot with his own, "Come on."

Daichi finally broke the silence.

"I like you, Suga."

He said it.

He could not believe it but he said it.

His brain and his mouth betrayed him and made him say it! After all these years, he finally confessed to the love of his life.

And the love of his life was not responding.

He fucked up.

He was going to live under a bridge from now on.

Suga removed his hands from his eyes and turned to Daichi. His face had no expression.

He would make friends under the bridge.

"You like me," Suga said quietly. Daichi remained motionless. "I was not expecting that."

All emotions resuscitated in Daichi's body and he hurried to say, "I-I know, I probably should not have said that and, if you don't want to talk to me for a couple of days, or weeks, or as much time you need, I totally understand... but please don't stop being my friend. We can just pretend I didn't say anything. It's fine, really, and I swear I'll try my best to get over this and it will all be like befo-" he was interrupted by Suga's lips crushing against his own.

He was kissing Suga.

No.

Suga was kissing him.

He's spent ten years imagining how kissing Suga would feel like.

And it was better than any fantasy his imaginations could create!

His lips were so soft and they moved so fluidly. Like they were made to fit in Daichi's lips.

When Suga pulled away, he pressed his forehead against Daichi's, "You have a lot to explain."

  
_So do you._

"I know."

"But not now."

"You don't want to talk about this?"

Suga clicked his tounge, "Do you want to talk or do you want to make out?"

Daichi's big and stupid smile was enough for Suga to know that he choosed the second option.

But before the situation could become more romantic. Noya and Asahi emerged from Suga's bathroom. Asahi's whole face was red.

"Hey," Noya greeted, "Great party, Suga. We'll be leaving." He cleared his troath and grabbed Asahi by his shirt to drag him outside of the apartment. "Bye."

"B-bye." Asahi waved and soon they were gone.

Daichi didn't know what to say now with the moment just ruined, but Suga's laugh made him understand that everything was alright, so he could laugh too.

He was feeling so many things right now.

He was so fucked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi  
> it's been a year!

Daichi was undoubtedly living the best time of his life.

It's been a month since he and Suga started dating after he confessed on New Year. It had been almost instantly. They never really made it official. Never called each other their 'boyfriend', but it seemed like Suga already gave it for granted. They went on dates, they kissed, they called and texted each other all the time, and it was all so natural for Suga, as if the've been dating for years instead of just a couple of weeks, but Daichi still couldn't believe it. Sometimes, he was afraid of going to sleep at night. Afraid of waking up in the morning and realizing it was all a dream, but the first text from Suga in the morning made him feel relieved for another day.

And the way Suga felt when he was cuddled up in his arms was so real he could be sure he was not hallucinating.

Life was perfect.

Until...

_"I had a great time, Daichi."_

_Daichi and Suga were returning to Suga's place after dinner and a movie. Dinner went excellent. Daichi took Suga to a nice restaurant in the city where they enjoyed amazing food and laughed about the little stories of their friends in common. The movie was great too. They saw a "buddy cop" film, just because Daichi is obsessed with anything related to his job. He loves to point out how relatable scenes are or how "that doesn't happen in real life". Suga wasn't especially invested in the movie, but he loved seeing Daichi happy, so it was enough for him._

_"Me too," Daichi answered, smiling cheerfully._

_Once they were outside Suga's apartment, the gray haired man made a question that Daichi didn't know was the first extreme of a thread,_

_"Do you want to come in?"_

"Do you want?" _The first_ "Do you want?"

_The first one sounded simple and harmless, but there were more to come._

_"Sure."_

_Suga opened the door and even after the first steps inside, Daichi's sanity was still intact. He waited until Suga was done taking off his shoes and hanging his coat to do the same. After that, they went further into the apartment, stopping just beside the couch, mentally asking each other if it would be suitable to sit down and, apparently, they agreed it was okay._

_Some thick seconds passed by with them just sitting in silence until Sugawara was the first to talk._

_"Do you want something to drink?"_

_There it was. The second "Do you want?" It sounded just as innocent as the first one, so Daichi didn't hesitate to answer._

_"I'm fine."_

_Suga didn't seem displeased with his answer, if something, he looked content with it. He took the initiative and moved closer to Daichi. No words needed for the other to know what he wanted, the way he brought their lips closer said it all._

_Their mouths slipped together in a gentle way. Suga's hands were immediately placed on Daichi's shoulders, while Daichi's left arm circled his waist and his free hand was used as support as he gently pushed Suga down into the couch._

_They deepened the kiss and their moans began to get louder. Their tounges exploring each other's mouth with vigor. Suga wrapped his legs around Daichi's waist, desperate to get closer to him._

_They exchanged saliva for a few more minutes until they pulled away to fill their lungs. Suga stared at Daichi with red cheeks and panting, parting his lips to say_

_"Do you want to go to the bedroom?"_

_There it was. The third one. That's the one that left Daichi speechless._

_Sugawara showed a face of confusion at Daichi, who was unable to move. Too shocked to function._

_But a little push inside Daichi's mind brought him back to reality, reminding him that he still had to give an answer and, of course, being the big dork that he is, he let the answer pass trough his lips before his brain could catch it._

_"No."_

_Suga's reaction made it obvious that that was not the answer he was hoping for._

 

"So, that's why you two haven't talked in three days," Asahi said from the other side of the table, looking at Daichi hide his head in his hands.

"Yes." Daichi sounded depressed every time he talked.

"Is he mad at you?"

"I don't know. I'm too embarassed to even stand in front of him, but he hasn't even called me or anything," Daichi said, pouting.

"Why did you say no?" Asahi asked, catching Daichi off guard, even though it was a question to be expected. "Did you not want to do it?"

Daichi looked at him with wide eyes.

"Of course I wanted to! But... I got nervous. It was too sudden and I didn't know how to react."

"You could have said yes. I'm pretty sure Suga wanted you to say yes."

Daichi's eyes widened, "But I couldn't say yes! I was not preppared for it. There was just no way I could have m-made love to Suga in that moment, okay? This is Suga we're talking about."

He sunk into his arms while hearing Asahi sigh. He thought about the options he had:

a) knock at Suga's door and apologize for being a coward that night after being one for ten years.

b) wait for Suga to make the first move and come knock at his door wanting an explanation (which Daichi wished he had).

c) he still had the alternative of the bridge.

Deciding to leave those thoughts for later, he lifted his head and stared at Asahi, hoping that the taller man could read his mind.

"What?"

"How did you do it?"

"How did I do what?"

"How did you do it with Noya?" Daichi asked. "You guys have been friends for years. Wasn't it a least a little bit awkward?"

Asahi's cheeks blushed a little and he looked away, "W-well, I didn't even have the time to think if it was awkward or not."

Disappointed with the useless answer, Daichi hid his head again behind the shield his hands formed. "He's going to break up with me," he muttered.

"Daichi, he's not going to break up with you. Have you ever seen Suga break up with any of his exes just because they wouldn't have sex with him?"

Daichi slowly raised his head and narrowed his eyes, "That's because no one has ever denied sex to Suga! He probably doesn't even know what it's like to be rejected. What if he breaks up with me because he doesn't know how to take it?"

"Well, maybe you can fix it by... you know... doing it," Asahi proposed and that alone got Daichi thinking.

Having sex with Suga?

He had been so caught up in the thought of himself being scared and messing things up and disappointing Suga that he forgot about the main subject.

Having sex with Suga?

He had dreamed about it (figurativelly and literally) but, could he do it in real life? Did he have the...

...courage?

Letting out a defeated sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, "I need to talk to him."

Asahi nodded in agreement, "You should probably go see him."

They both knew the 'probably' in that sentence wasn't supossed to be there.

Now Daichi had to confront Suga and that was the hard part. No matter how difficult it would be for him to try to get intimate with Suga, nothing could be harder than even thinking that Suga couldn't trust him. He couldn't process the thought of Suga believing that Daichi didn't want his own boyfriend!

_Boyfriend?_

Daichi shook his head. He couldn't keep doing this. He couldn't keep pretending that Sugawara was still out of his reach when he had held him in his arms so many times. It's not like he lacked any confidence, but the confident part of him was not the one in charge of his mind right now, especially when it came to Suga.

That needed to change and fast!

○○○

Kuroo got out of his bedroom that morning and entered the kitchen with a yawn. There he found his roommate sitting on one of the kitchen chairs with his eyes glued to the wall and shivering a little. "Good morning."

"Morning," Bokuto returned the greeting immediately, not moving.

Kuroo examined him for a moment: the bags under his eyes indicated that he either didn't sleep well or didn't get any sleep at all. "How long have you been up?"

"Two hours."

Kuroo moved towards the coffee maker and turned his head at Bokuto, "You want coffee?"

"Yes."

"Everything alright?"

"Everything is perfect."

Kuroo watched him with suspicion for a moment, but then moved the thought away. He placed his hands on the table and looked at a corner in the ceiling, he pursed his lips a little before saying, "Remember that movie we borrowed from Akaashi? I think we should give it back. Why don't you go?"

Bokuto's brain suddenly woke up and brought him back to reality. He cleared his throat and fixed his clothes and hair little, looking at the sides. "Akaashi? Uh, sorry but I'm busy with... life."

_Thump_

The solid noise made Bokuto jump in his seat, he looked at the mug in Kuroo's hand that he just stamped on the table and then at his face, unusually serious.

"Okay, what's wrong?"

Bokuto raised his eyebrows in shock. "Wha-"

"You've been acting weird these past few weeks, weirder than usual. Apart from work, you haven't gone out in a month and you always start acting particularly strange whenever I mention Akaashi. You used to love to go visit him and now you don't even want to go return his movie."

Bokuto stayed silent. He felt as if the probems he'd been hiding under the carpet were coming back to slap him in the face. Kuroo noticed the sudden change of mood and sighed. He lowered the sound of his voice before asking, "Bo, did something happen with Akaashi?"

Bokuto's face lost that alarmed expression as he stared down at his hands, thinking his words carefully. After some seconds, he faced Kuroo with more determination, but not enough to stop looking scared. "Okay, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Especially Akaashi."

Kuroo dropped his hands and moved a little closer to Bokuto. "What's going on?"

"Promise me."

"Yeah, I promise."

"Pinky promise."

Bokuto held his little finger in the air and waited. Kuroo stared at it for a few seconds, thinking if he should make a comment on his friend's childness, but decided that it would be easier to just roll his eyes and hook his finger with Bokuto's. "Now, will you tell me what's wrong?"

Bokuto took his time, but after some struggle he whispered, "Akaashi... said that he likes me."

Kuroo stared.

And stared and stared, until he moved back and put his finger in his ear to clean it, after that, he said, "Come again?"

Bokuto seemed a little confused, but answered anyway, "Akaashi said that he likes me."

After confirming that no, Kuroo didn't have any hearing problems and yes, he heard it right both times, he shook his head and hurried to move to his friend's side. "What?"

"He told me at Suga's party."

"Really? He said that he likes you? And you've been a whole month keeping this to yourself?" he said, almost yelling, making Bokuto sulk a little, but Kuroo didn't want to make his friend think that he was scolding him. "It doesn't matter. This is great! Why aren't you happy?"

"He was drunk when he told me," Bokuto explained, sounding a little sad. "Maybe it was just the alcohol talking."

Kuroo grabbed his chin and looked at the side, thinking, "Doesn't people tend to be more honest when drunk?"

"Is that true?"

"I think so."

Bokuto groaned and bumped his head face down on the table, murmuring, "What should I do? What if he doesn't even remember that he said it?"

Kuroo snapped his fingers and said, "Communication is the key. Go to his place and ask him."

"Can't someone do it for me?"

"I can do it."

"No you can't!" Bokuto snapped. "You pinky promised it!"

Kuroo rolled his eyes. "Bo, you can just give me your permission."

"But you can't break a pinky promise, Kuroo!"

"You have probably broken tons!"

At that moment, memories of that night at Suga's place with Akaashi came back to Bokuto's head, and it wasn't exactly the part where Akaashi was touching his arms or stroking his hair.

"How dare you accuse me of such a thing!" Bokuto said, sending Kuroo an offended look, making him sigh.

"You're right, sorry. Then what? Have any brilliant plan?"

"Kenma."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow. "You want Kenma to ask Akaashi?"

"Yes," Bokuto answered. "And I want you to ask Kenma."

Kuroo stepped back, a bit caught off guard. "What? Why me?"

"I thought you'd want to," Bokuto answered, pursing his lips as his eyes wandered. "I can go ask him myself."

"Okay, fine! I'll do it," snapped Kuroo, making Bokuto smile brightly and victorious.

○○○

"You want me to what?"

At an hour that seemed inhuman for him, Kenma was sitting on his couch in front of someone that (by poor life decisions) he considered his best friend.

Kuroo, of course.

Noy only was it too early to be awake, it was too early to be asked for favors, but not for Kuroo, apparently.

"Ask Akaashi if he has feelings for Bokuto."

"...why?"

"Because we think that he might have feelings for Bokuto."

"But why me?"

"Because Bokuto is a coward and he's also a child who made me promise not to say a word."

Kenma closed his eyes, inhaled and slowly exhaled. "Okay, so," he started, "you knock at my door at eight in the morning, interrumpt my sleep and ask me to do something that you and Bokuto can't do because you're both idiots?"

"Exactly."

Kenma didn't even blink. He hoped that his lack of any sign of interest would make Kuroo understand his answer.

It did work. Kuroo just didn't care.

"Please?"

Kenma was still unfased.

"Pretty please?"

Nothing.

"I'll buy you food."

Kenma finally gave up and sighed loudly, purposely taking his time before talking.

"Fine," he answered, making Kuroo give him a big smile. The promise of free food wasn´t exactly the best way to motivate Kenma, but it was still good and he could make a little sacrifice from time to time. "Now get out of here," he continued. "I'm going back to bed."

"Nope," Kuroo answered. Now that I'm here I'm going to make sure you have breakfast." He stood up and made his way to Kenma's kitchen like it was his own house because

_If Kenma lives there_

_Kuroo's second home will be._

_It won't matter where._

Kenma narrowed his eyes and pouted at his friend's words. "You're not my mom."

"Yes, I am," Kuroo's voice corrected from the kitchen. Kenma just rolled his eyes, even though he wasn't really bothered by Kuroo's presence in the slightest.

○○○

Suga was having a nice day so far until he opened the door and his smiling expression turned into a face of something akin to disgust, even though it wasn't disgust. It was just annoyance and a bit of stubborness.

"Oh, it's you."

Daichi was standing in front of the door, looking like he was ready to apologize. His eyebrows forming an eight in kanji, and he had one hand behing his neck, rubbing his nape.

"Hi," he said with a nervous tone. "Can we talk?"

Suga turned around and walked away a few steps. "Talk about what? What is there to talk about?" he asked loudly, in an ironic tone.

Daichi let himself in and closed the door behind him. "Suga, are you mad?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" Suga asked, sitting on his ridiculously clean couch and taking a magazine from the tea table in front of him, turning the pages a little roughly.

Daichi stood there with an aura of fear, timidly looking for words.

"Because I... because..."

Suga finally dropped his façade and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Forget it, Daichi. I'm not mad."

"Suga," Daichi started, taking a seat at Suga's side. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

Suga looked at him with confusion and a touch of indignation. "You didn´t mean to not have sex with me?"

"No, I didn´t mean to reject you," Daichi clarified. "I just... I got scared."

"Scared of what?"

Suga waited for the answer that never came while Daichi's eyes wandered to the other side.

"Did you think you were going to do something wrong?" Suga asked, getting Daichi's attention one more time.

"No, it's not that." He paused. "But now I'm thinking about it."

"Daichi." Suga quickly grabbed Daichi's face between his hands and looked at him straight in the eyes. "Do you want to have sex with me or not?"

Daichi didn't hesitate as much as he thought he would. The answer came out automatically.

"Yes."

"Then what's stopping you?" Suga softly caressed Daichi's cheek with his thumb. The small movement accompanying his growing smile. Daichi relaxed into the touch.

Before he knew it, Daichi was on top of Suga with their legs intertwined. Suga's hand roaming through his hair as they made out.

Even during the heated moment, Daichi took a minute to appreaciate a little quality about Suga:

His lips were always so soft.

Ever since their first kiss, Daichi thought that Suga's lips were like a pair of rose petals and kissing him felt like dreaming.

But his thoughts were soon interrupted by a little moan escaping from the man beneath him.

Daichi wanted to hear that same sound again, but louder and repeatedly.

Suga's hands soon found the buttons on Daichi's shirt and immediately started to reveal more and more of the tanned skin hidden underneath. Suga then ran a hand through the firm chest. The feeling at the tip of his fingers made him bite the other man's lip slightly, causing him to groan, at which Suga couldn't help but smirk.

And it's not like Daichi wasn't enjoying the moment. He definitely was, but somehow, there was an incessant noise inside his head: a strange ringing that buzzed in his ears. He only took it as his own brain warning him of some hyperventilation coming near. He ignored it, until Suga's lips were no longer touching his, realizing that the ringing was actually coming from his back pocket.

He reached for his phone to hang up to whoever that was interrupting, but he changed his mind when he saw his boss's name on the screen. He sighed and answered, mouthing an apology to Suga. After a few seconds on the phone he turned to face him.

"Daichi."

"It was from work," he explained, with an embarassed look on his face. "I have to go."

"Now?"

"I have to."

Daichi wished he could stay, but his job wouldn't allow it. Being a police officer, it's just something that he can't postpone.

And Suga understood that. He knew that whatever it was Daichi got called for was more important than his night of sex. He couldn't get angry even if he wanted to.

Suga nodded and smiled weakly. "Yeah, okay."

"I'm sorry," Daichi apologized, once again. He felt like he couldn't do it enough.

"It's fine," Suga assured him, but the guilt wouldn't leave Daichi's face. "Really, I'm not mad."

Daichi took Suga's words as much as he could and walked through the door, but before leaving, he turned around and waved at Suga.

"Bye."

"Bye~" Suga waved back, smiling cheerfully to show Daichi that he wasn't mad.

Because he wasn't. He was just... kinda frustrated.

Suga closed the door and sighed. He turned around and took a few steps before letting himself fall face first into the couch.

○○○

"So tell me," started saying Kuroo. He was sitting on a chair holding a pen and some papers. In front of him, Bokuto was lying on the couch looking at the ceiling, joining his hands. "When did this all begin?"

Bokuto played with his fingers as he answered, never parting his eyes from the ceiling.

"It all started when I was in my second year of high school."

_"I can't wait to meet all the new kouhais! I'm gonna be the best senpai ever!"_

_Sixteen years old Bokuto was hanging out with some of his teammates at the gym on the first day of school, clearly excited to meet more, like he was at the beginning of every year since elementary school._

_His teammates looked at him smiling (though not as much as him), until their eyes focused on something or someone behind him. He heard some steps and a soft voice close to him._

_"Excuse me?" Bokuto heard behind his back, making him turn around and look at the owner of said soft voice..._

_...and then he froze completely._

_"Is this the volleyball club?"_

_The boy standing in front of him looked like he came out of a fairytale or a greek myth or something like that, but definitely not real life. He had black, casually dishevelled hair and blue, slightly tired-looking eyes with long eyelashes. A manly appeal, but with a touch of feminine charm in his presence._

_But no matter how you look at it, he was objectively beautiful._

_"Yeah, it´s here," the boy with dirty blonde hair beside Bokuto answered, but the look on the owl boy's face made him raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Bokuto? You okay?"_

_Bokuto's mouth hung slightly open while his eyes widened, his arms falling to his side and his mind was in a weird, but not unpleseant place._

And then I saw his face... now I'm a believer...

_Bokuto shook his head quickly, but his expression didn´t return to normal, it only got worse when he frantically yelled,_

_"Please, call me senpai!"_

Kuroo nodded quietly at Bokuto's anecdote. "So smooth."

Suddenly out of nowhere, interrupting their little session, a boy with flawless brown hair irrupted their home abruptly, taking big, furious steps inside.

"Oikawa," Kuroo greeted with an ironic smile. "Great to see you here, even though nobody invited you."

Oikawa exhaled heavily through his nose and folded his arms. "Don't joke with me Tetsu-chan. I'm in a crisis right now."

"I wasn't joking."

"What's wrong?" Bokuto asked, standing up.

"This!" Oikawa exclaimed, showing both guys the tiny object in his hand: a white, nearly visible, little string between his two fingers.

"What is that?"

"It's a white hair! I found it on my pillow."

Kuroo looked at Oikawa with clear confusion. "A white hair? How can that be? You're not even thirty yet."

"I know how old I am!" snapped Oikawa, making Kuroo jump back out of fright. "I found it this morning and I thought it couldn't possibly be mine but I haven't slept with anyone in the past two months, at least not anyone with white hair."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow at that.

Oikawa sighed and hid his face in his hands, sitting on the couch, almost letting himself fall.

"Why is this happening?" he cried in his hands. He made his face visible again after a few moments. "What if it's hereditary? My dad didn't get white hair until he was fifty so I thought it would be the same with me, but my grandfather told me that he found his first white hair when he was twenty-seven! What if it skipped a generation?"

Bokuto watched the depressing scene with affection, but only for a few seconds, until he focused his attention on the item still on Oikawa's hand.

"Why did you keep that?"

Oikawa ignored him and whined. "What am I gonna do?"

Kuroo placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and gave him an empathetic look.

"Oikawa, you found a white hair, next thing you know, you're gonna start getting wrinkles and back pains, later you're gonna have troubles with your knees and vision. Oh wait! You already have that."

Oikawa's eyes were full of poison. He should have known since the beginning of the sentence that it would be just bullshit.

"Oh well, no one's perfect" Kuroo continued. "I knew there had to be something wrong with your genetics. Beauty comes with a price."

Oikawa's tounge explored his whole own mouth for a moment to calm himself down, when he was done, he pressed his lips together before talking. "Why are you making fun of me instead of helping me?"

"Oikawa, look at me," Kuroo said, leaning his head a bit. "Do you see any white hairs? Look at Bokuto. Do you see any..." Both men looked at the owl boy's head, covered in black, gray and white hair. "...natural white hairs on him?" Kuroo leaned back, falling on a pillow. "We can't help you with this. Why don't you go talk to someone with more experience on this subject? Like, anybody over seventy?"

Oikawa placed his sight on the floor, pursing his lips and making a loud noise with them. "You know what? You're right. I'm gonna do that. Thanks for the advice."

He stood up and silently walked towards the door, leaving Kuroo amazed. He thought the pretty boy would throw a tantrum.

"I'm gonna go talk to your mom!" Oikawa shouted, right before running out the door.

There it was.

Kuroo frowned as Bokuto laughed like crazy. He turned to the owl boy and smacked him in the head.

"What the fuck are you laughing at?"

Bokuto winced at the pain.

"Ow!"

○○○

"You haven't visited me in a long time, Kenma-san."

Akaashi placed the tea cups on the table for his unexpected guest.

Some moments ago on that same day, Kenma appeared on his door saying that he wanted to talk with him. Completely unlikely of him, but since Akaashi was fond of Kenma, he let him in with pleasure.

"Don't take it personal. I don't visit anybody," said Kenma, taking the cup to his lips.

"Right." Not very common words to hear, unless they were spoken with that familiar voice. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Uhm," Kenma's eyes wandered around the place looking for words. "I wanted to talk about you."

"About me?"

Kenma nodded. "How have you been?"

"Good. And you?"

"Good, yeah."

Now all that could be heard were the noises coming from the exterior as an awkward silence took place. Of course, Kenma wasn't the best at this.

He filled his cheeks with air and the pulled it out, before asking,

"So, do you like someone?"

Yeah, he wasn't good at this.

Akaashi raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I mean..." Kenma looked at somewhere else that wasn't Akaashi's eyes, but he figured that he couldn't save the situation. "...well, that. Do you like someone?"

"Why are you interested in whether I like someone or not?"

"I'm not asking you out, if that's what you think," Kenma clarified. "I just want to get to know you better."

"Why?"

"Because you're one of the only normal people I know and if I don't talk with someone who acts according to their age once in a while I'm gonna go crazy."

Akaashi nodded slowly, analyzing the words. "Okay, I guess that makes sense."

"So?" Kenma tried and Akaashi knew what he was asking for. He sighed.

"Yes. There is someone that I like."

"Really?" asked Kenma, with a slight but uncommon surprise. "Do I know this person?"

"Yes."

Kenma waited, but it didn't seem like Akaashi would keep saying more.

"Are you gonna tell me their name?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to."

Kenma hesitated, but he didn't argue, instead, he tried another alternative.

"Fine. Don't tell me their name, but can I guess who it is?" he asked hopeful.

"Sure."

"Is it Bokuto?"

The confusion was evident on Akaashi's face.

"Why do you think it's Bokuto-san?"

Kenma stayed silent. What could he say right now? Why would it be Bokuto? Because he just knows it. How do you make someone admit something without you admiting that you know what you want them to admit?

"Because... you... you two... do you not like Bokuto?"

He was bad at this.

"Do you think I like him?" Okay, so now Akaashi was turning the situation around.

"It's not that. I just threw a random name. Is it him?"

"But you didn't even think about it. It's like you already had him in mind. Why?"

"Can you stop answering my questions with more questions?" Kenma was starting to lose the little patience he had.

"But I don't understand your questions," Akaashi confronted. "Why would come here to ask me if I like someone and then you start supposing that someone it's Bokuto-san even though I haven't given any kind of clue for you to think that is him?"

"Then, that means you don't like him?"

"Why do you keep asking?"

Kenma took a big breath. Maybe the free food wasn't worth it.

"You know what? I was wrong. I'm gonna go crazy if I keep talking with you."

○○○

"Oikawa, humans never know why their bodies are the way they are. It's just mother nature being a little bitchy."

Out of all the people he knew, why was Oikawa finding himself asking for help from these two when he was having an existential crisis? He knew just exactly how it would turn out.

Was he a masochist or just plain stupid?

"Like, why are Makki's eyebrows so small?"

"Why are Mattsun's eyebrows so big?"

"'Cause they're sexy."

"That's true."

But it didn't matter. He wasn't paying attention. He was way too focused on that little hair mocking his entire life!

Is it possible for an inanimate object to make fun of you?

"But the best you can do is embrace your flaws," Matsukawa continued, "Being an old man has it's perks: you can play bingo all day, you can whine about the today stuff you don't like,"

"It's not embarassing to need viagra when you're old," Hanamaki cooperated.

But all intent of "trying to make him feel better" were useless, as Oikawa wouldn't gasp offended like it'd be so usual of him. No, instead, his position remained the same, not a muscle out of place, hypnotized.

Matsukawa stared at him a little closer, with more concern.

"Wow, it's worse than we thought."

"Hey, Oikawa?" Hanamaki waved a hand in front of his face.

A situation that you couldn't joke at was something difficult for this pair, especially if the pretty brunette was involved. They gave each other a look that shared the same thought about things being serious.

But it quickly vanished at hearing Oikawa's next words,

"Bungee jump."

Hanamaki raised an eyebrow that the moment clearly deserved.

"What?"

"Bungee jump. I should do Bungee jump."

"Why?" Matsukawa added.

"I always wanted to do it, but I was too scared. I should do it now," Oikawa explained, his voice lacking the usual arrogance and attitude.

"Are you not worried about the white hair anymore?" asked Hanamaki, confusion evident in his tone.

"Yes, I am. That's exactly why I should do it." Oikawa stood up precipitously. His eyes wide, all dryness left behind. "My days are counted. I have to live my life to the fullest before it ends!"

Hanamaki pouted, making his prominent upper lip to stand out even more. "So you want to do Bungee Jump. Are you sure?"

"There's no time for thinking!" yelled Oikawa, looking at him like a maniac. "Come on! Call Iwa-chan!" And with that, the pretty (not so much right now) brunette marched his way outside the place. The two men left behind found each other's eyes and shrugged, a sign meaning _'I gotta see this.'_

○○○

Once Kenma was back at his place he was immediately received by the smell of some delicious food. It was evidently Kuroo's cooking.

Kenma would be lost without him.

He was used to his best friend coming to his house at any moment of the day and cook his food, watch his tv, play his videogames, use his shower and sleep on his couch (and sometimes bed), and vice versa. That's the level their friendship was at.

He wouldn't change it for anything.

"So?" the black haired man asked from the kitchen while Kenma sat down on a chair with his legs crossed.

"He said he likes someone. So it's Bokuto."

"Did he say it's Bokuto?"

"No. He just said he likes someone but didn't tell me who."

"So maybe it's not Bokuto."

"Then it's not Bokuto."

"But he told Bokuto that he liked him."

"Then it's Bokuto."

"But he was drunk. Could it be that it wasn't true?"

"Then its not Bokuto."

"You're not helping."

"I did my part. Sorry it didn't work."

They stayed silent for a couple of minutes, until Kenma's curiosity got him leaning forward so he could see what was it that produced such a wonderful smell in that cacerole.

"What are you making?"

"Sukiyaki," Kuroo answered. "And it's almost ready so sit like an adult."

Kenma rolled his eyes as he uncrossed his legs and sat properly.

"So, what's the plan?" Kenma asked, taking his chopsticks while Kuroo placed a plate of the delicious meal in front of him.

Kuroo sighed, noticing that Kenma was returning to the previous topic. "I guess Bokuto's gonna have to face this on his own."

"He won't."

Kuroo quickly raised his eyebrows and stared at the petite blonde with surprise. The answer was immediate and lacked a lot of sensibility. Specially because he said it as he put food in his mouth so casually.

But Kuroo decided to ignore it.

"Yeah, it's gonna be hard at first, but he'll come around to it."

"He won't," repeated Kenma, with the exact same tone he used before.

Kuroo blinked a few times. "Okay, I know you think he's annoying, but now you're just being a bad person."

"He's weak when it come's to emotions."

"I don't think he'd like to hear that," said Kuroo, his face making a tiny pout, not really denying Kenma's statement.

"Tell him."

Kuroo was about to say something. Probably a question, but Kenma talked again before Kuroo could utter a sound, emphasizing his previous idea.

"Tell him I think he's weak."

Kuroo stared at Kenma once again. His voice was soft, but his words were unusual, for him and for anyone. Maybe it was just Kuroo's imagination, but was Kenma being a little more malicious than usual? He said nothing about it.

"Okay?"

○○○

Kuroo barely had the chance to enter the place before his roommate stepped in front of him and grabbed him by the arms, pupils blown by the suspense.

"Did you talk with Kenma? Did he talk with Akaashi?"

Kuroo slowly removed his friend's hands from his arms as he spoke, "He tried, but didn't help much. Sorry."

Bokuto made a small noise that sounded like a baby animal and hung his head. "My life is over."

Kuroo frowned. He was tired of feeling pity for his gloomy friend. "Bo, all your problems would be solved if you just talked with-"

"I caaaan't"

Kuroo huffed. "That's what Kenma said," he murmured, moving away from Bokuto, who quickly lifted his head when he heard those words.

"What?"

Kuroo turned around to face him. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "He said that you wouldn't do it because... you're weak." He hesitated to say those last words, but in the last few minutes, he started to agree with Kenma, but it didn't last much, considering that he was starting to feel the same way about himself when Bokuto looked at him with big, bright eyes. "His words, not mine!"

"Weak?" said Bokuto, not to Kuroo, but to himself. "I'm not weak!" His voice cracked.

And suddenly, like a revelation, Kuroo remembered wise words he have heard a long time ago in that "friendly" volleyball game during that trip to the beach.

Akaashi's words about Bokuto.

_"Bokuto-san has 42 confirmed weaknesses."_

Bingo.

_"When Bokuto-san is discouraged by someone, he will either sulk or get mad and try doing something stupid to prove himself right."_

 

Wait a fucking minute...

"Yeah," said Kuroo, rubbing at his nape, "He said that you're not as strong as you look like."

Bokuto gasped. "He said that?" His voice sounded high pitched. "I thought he liked me."

"What ever made you think that?" said Kuroo, moving his head dramatically, in part to make Bokuto feel bad and keep going with the plan and in part because... it was kind of true.

Bokuto stood straight with his fists on his hips, but his frown was trembling.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'll show him I'm not... I'm not any of the things he said!" He exclaimed, and without thinking it twice, he walked out the door and slammed it shut.

"Yeah! Show him!" Kuroo waited for some seconds to see if Bokuto regretted everything and came back, when he didn't, the cat man reached for the phone on the small table as fast as he could and dialed. The voice on the other side sounded bored, as usual.

"What?"

"How did you know?" Kuroo yelled, and he could imagine Kenma's expression of annoyance.

"I'm good at observing people," he answered, immediately knowing what Kuroo was referring to. "Still, this doesn't ensure that he won´t get nervous at the last minute and end up saying something stupid."

"I can only pray!"

○○○

"100 meters. Are you ready?"

"No."

"Okay, call me when you are."

Oikawa's body was shaking as the instructor walked away, holding on tightly to his harness for dear life. He looked down the bridge for the hundredth time and gulped. His mouth was starting to become dry by doing it so much.

A day before, he would have thought that anyone who would dare to do something like this didn't have much appreciation for life. An hour ago, he thought that this kind of stuff gave excitement to life.

Now he just thinks it's being suicidal.

"Are you really doing this?" he heard Hanamaki say, one of his three friends that he decided to take with him. He needed someone to be there to communicate to his family in case he died.

"I have to, I'm dying."

"This is, without a doubt, the stupidest thing you have ever done," said Iwaizumi, not for the first time.

"What if the cord is too long and you end up... ya know..." Matsukawa pressed his palms together with force and made an unpleseant noise with his lips.

Oikawa finally turned away his sight from under the bridge only to return it again. "Better to die while I'm still pretty." But the more he stared, the more he wanted to throw up. He couldn't stop doubting, trapped between actually doing this and running away.

It was obvious which one was winning, but still...

"Makki-chan, call my mom and tell her I love her."

"On it." Hanamaki grabbed Oikawa's phone from the backpack he was holding. Even tough he never told him, Oikawa was sure that Makki knew his password.

"Hey, Oikawa, who's this?" Hanamaki showed him the phone screen, where Oikawa's face was rubbing against a cat.

"Oh, that's Mashu-chan," said Oikawa smiling, suddenly not afraid to die anymore. Way too distracted by the cuteness. "I found him outside my building last week. Isn't he cute?"

Iwaizumi looked at the screen with slight curiosity. "You got a new cat?"

"Yup."

"Oikawa."

"What?"

"Has this cat been sleeping on your bed?"

"Every night, why?"

Iwaizumi sighed. No matter how much Oikawa's behavior irritated him most of the time, he had to admit he was surprised, because the brunette was actually really smart. Maybe he just gets dumb when something threatens his beauty. "Let's go, Shittykawa. You don't have to jump."

He couldn't believe that a cat had to make them go through this.

A cat whose fur was entirely _white_.

"Why? What's going o-" _Wait for it._ "Oh my god! I'm not getting old!"

Hanamaki and Matsukawa were trying really hard to contain their laughter while Iwaizumi tried not to kill Oikawa as he just kept babbling,

"Iwa-chan! I almost die! I was so close to jumping!"

They all knew that was a lie.

○○○

"Bokuto-san?"

When Akaashi opened the door, he found there an inmense, sweaty owl crouching down, grabbing at his knees and panting.

He has to admit, he had never seen Bokuto being this tired without smiling because of a victory.

"Akaashi, there's something I need to tell you," he said in between breaths, with a much more determinated attitude than a second before.

Akaashi clenched his fists, ready to hear it. "What is it?"

But like a balloon, Bokuto deflated. "... I forgot."

Akaashi was disappointed, but not surprised.

"Why don't you come in?" Akaashi invited, his tone was lazy.

Bokuto walked in and they both sat down on the couch. He cleared his throat but stayed silent for a moment, trying to find his voice.

He liked Akaashi's apartment. There wasn't much color, but it was classy. Not at all Bokuto's style, but it was so much Akaashi's style. That's why he liked it.

Bokuto shook his head. His thoughts were too distracting.

"Akaashi, listen, do you... do you..."

Akaashi tilted his head and blinked, a little lost, but he looked adorable. Bokuto gulped, and it felt like a big weight down his throat.

"Do you make confessions when drunk?"

Instead of showing his confusion with some kind of facial sign or small noise like a normal person would, Akaashi drifted his sight. "I've been getting weird questions lately."

Bokuto didn't understand that phrase, but since it wasn't neither a yes or a no, it wasn't what he was looking for, so he didn't ask.

Akaashi sighed and closed his eyes. "Bokuto-san, I don't see the reason behind your question, but to answer, I have the tendency to act in a way that should not be taken seriously when I have drunk too much. I am not aware of my behaviour and I may end up saying things that could be false or just pure nonsense, but I am always unable to remember anything, so I know it because either someone told me or because it was recorded."

"... you don't say."

Was Akaashi aware of something?

Akaashi made a pause. "I remember waking up with a hangover the day after Sugawara-san's party on New Year, so if this is about something that I may have said or done that night that could result offensive, I apologize.

_Wow._

Bokuto was left astonished. He was _really_ just expecting a simple yes or no, it would have been much better. His mouth was suddenly dry, because, that was it. That's what Akaashi had to say, and Bokuto would have to settle down with that.

Seriously, why did he ever have any hope at all?

"No, it's okay. You know what? I should leave. Sorry for wasting your time." He stood up and went towards the door, but the moment his hands were about to reach the doorknob...

"Bokuto-san."

He turned around and saw Akaashi looking at him with a slightly worried expression and fidgeting fingers.

"Don't leave."

Not leave? How could he stay? What else did he want from him? Make sure that even the last standing piece of his heart was shattered to crumbles?

But Bokuto couldn't blame him for that. He didn't know anything.

"Bokuto-san, are you mad at me?"

What?

"What?"

"Have I done something? Have I hurt you in some way?"

Bokuto's eyes widened and his breath came in short. "W-Why would you think that?"

"You have been avoiding me lately." Akaashi looked at the ground, a bit embarrassed apparently. I used to see you every day and you would come to visit me every once in a while, but this is the first time I see you in weeks.

Bokuto felt like a monster. He can't believe he hurted Akaashi's feelings. Something he promised to himself he'd never do!

"No." He returned to the spot next to Akaashi. "Akaashi, you didn't do anything. If we have distance is because of me."

"What do you mean?"

Bokuto rubbed at his nape and blushed. Not daring to look directly into those blue eyes. "Akaashi... at Suga's party you made a confession to me and... I didn't know how to take it or how to tell you, so I tried to avoid you as much as I could."

"Confession?"

Akaashi had an adorably confused expression again. This was it.

"You said..." Bokuto took a deep breath through his nose and hoped for the best. "You said that you like me."

"Oh, that."

Akaashi quickly turned his head to the side. His reaction was completely emotionless and Bokuto felt like he just got hit. From all the possible answers he could have imagined, that wasn't even an option. It was in the "more impossible than Kenma winning a marathon" category.

"W-What? What do you mean 'oh that'?" He needed fucking answers!

"Yeah, well, that night I thought that I should let my drunk self take care of confessing because my sober self couldn't do it. I can't remember what I do when I'm drunk, but apparently when I'm drunk I can remember the things I said when I was sober, so sometimes I make deals with myself."

It wasn't the sudden revelation. It wasn't the amount of information he now knew about Akaashi. It wasn't the fact that nothing, _nothing_ went the way Bokuto had hurriedly planned on the way to Akaashi's place.

What bothered him was the _naturality_ in which Akaashi expressed himself. Like it was no big deal for him.

But wait... was that a bit of red color on his ears?

"And I guess now you know so, would you like some tea?" Akaashi quickly stood up and went to the kitchen where he started making tea.

After being able to break the stone that covered his body for a minute, Bokuto joined him. "Akaashi, you like me?"

"Yes."

"You have liked me for a long time?"

"Yes. Eight years to be exact."

Bokuto tried to remember what else did Akaashi say that night.

"You like my thighs?"

"I love them, Bokuto-san"

Bokuto shook his head, making sure that he was not dreaming. He would have slapped himself in the face, but in case this was reality, that may scare Akaashi a bit.

"Why did you never tell me?"

"Because," Akaashi finally ignored his tea and started fidgeting with his fingers again, "what are the chances that super muscular and attractive volleyball team's captain and top 5 ace would be interested in me?"

"Are you kidding, Akaashi?" Bokuto was getting too loud now, in part from the nerves and part because he could not _believe_ what he just heard. "You are super pretty! Like, the prettiest person I know!"

"It's not that. I'm talking about my personality. I'm too plain and simple and... boring. Unlike you. You're energetic and friendly and... the exact opposite of me."

Bokuto moved his arms around. He needed to think fast.

"B-But... Akaashi you're not boring!"

Akaashi was a little bit taken aback and blinked. Bokuto started counting, trying to remedy the situation.

"You've got great qualities: you're smart, you're responsible, you're reliable, you're sophisticated and... people respect you and don't think you're an idiot." How did he manage to now make the situation bad for himself? Well, anything for Akaashi.

"See, I have flaws too," he said. His voice was soft and low.

Akaashi placed a hand on his cheek and they looked at each other in the eyes. Something they've been trying to avoid the whole time.

"You're not an idiot, Bokuto-san."

Bokuto placed his hand on top of Akaashi's. He felt it was the right (and perfect) moment to say it, "I like you too, Akaashi."

"I wouldn't kiss an idiot."

"Uh?"

And without another word, Akaashi's lips met his. It lasted some time, but it took Bokuto half of that time to process what was going on, so the kiss seemed too short.

When they pulled away, Akaashi kept smiling until he heard a strange noise and Bokuto's whole face turned red.

"Bokuto-san... did you just hoot?"

○○○

"Well, you ended up being of help at the end, so thank you."

"Mh, you don't need to say it, you're still buying my food."

Kuroo and Kenma were chilling like always at Kuroo's apartment, and by "chilling" that means Kenma playing with his PSP while Kuroo watched TV or played with Kenma's hair or toes or something.

Kuroo smiled. There was no reason not to. Bokuto had called him earlier to tell him about his achievement that day (like, fifteen minutes after it happened, he could hear Akaashi sighing in the background). He was too happy for him, and he had to thank Kenma for it, but he likes to think that he did his part too. Unlike Kuroo, Kenma didn't feel the need to be recognized for his acomplishments, so it may not be that bad if Kuroo took the credit. It would be fair considering that he has been trying to make this happen for years. That's how things worked in his head.

"So, what's gonna happen now?" Kenma asked, stretching, "Are they dating?"

"I guess. Bokuto left hours ago. Maybe they're talking about their new relationship."

Kenma parted his sight from his PSP for a moment. "Or..."

"Don't say it. I don't want to imagine it."

Kenma stayed silent and returned to his game. They spent several seconds that way.

"Maybe they're fucking"

Kuroo closed his eyes and considered slapping him, but retracted, thinking that it's Kenma, not Bokuto. He laughed softly instead.

Well, now he had no excuse. Bokuto finally dared to reveal the secret that he kept hidden for so many years, and he got what he wanted in the end. Obviously, just because it worked out for him doesn't mean it would be the same for Kuroo, but now Bokuto had every right to call him a coward every single day for the rest of their lives. He could change that, of course he could. Did it really matter if the feeling was reciprocrated or not? Wasn't it more important to make his feelings known and recognized? Would it really change things that much? He wasn't really expecting anything. If Kenma actually felt the same way about him, Kuroo could feel that he needed nothing else from life, but he doesn't really believe that's the case.

But he'll never know until he tries.

"Kenma."

"Mh." Kenma listened, but didn't move his eyes away from his screen.

Kuroo stared at him for a long time. Kenma was probably too focused in his game to realize that he hadn't said anything. Kuroo thought of how their lives would be like if they were dating (and it wasn't the first time). It would probably be the same, but there would be more stuff, more physical stuff, more sentimental stuff. Kuroo just knew it would be the best thing ever.

"N-Nevermind. Sorry."

But the fear of rejection was too strong. Kuroo wanted to stop being friends with Kenma, but only if that meant becoming something more. The thought of being anything less made Kuroo feel weak.

He was weak.

○○○

Daichi heard the knock on the door while plastered on the sofa watching TV. Asahi went out, so he was all alone. Nobody to hear his whining.

But that was okay, he wouldn't get up and see who was at the other side, even if it meant having some company, but the knocking didn't seem to go away, insistant.

He finally gave up and opened the door, ready to tell whoever that was at the other side to fuck off.

Until...

Until he saw that particular gray hair and that characteristic mole. The man stood there with a smile on his face and bags on his hands.

"Suga. You didn't call to say you were coming"," said Daichi, smiling slightly because of the joyous surprise.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Suga explained, pecking Daichi on the lips before letting himself in. "I brought food and movies."

Daichi smiled. It was a relief to know Suga was really over with what happened before. He turned to him.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you but, you didn't think that I could be busy?"

"If you were you'd leave everything you're doing to spend time with me. What could be more important than your beloved boyfriend?"

_Boyfriend_

The single word got Daichi thinking as he got suspended in the moment.

Should he say something? Probably, but he didn't.

Because he never learns.

Still, no matter the state of their relationship, there was something Daichi was sure of,

It was amazing.

Every second by Suga's side is treasurable. The coffee dates at morning and going to the cinema at night on weekends, making dinner together at Suga's apartment and messing it up half of the time (and half of the time being on purpose from Daichi's part, since he likes to start mini food wars that will end up in a sweet make out session), going out for a sunday drive eating fast food and listening to pop songs from the 90s.

Daichi lived for those moments. They were the oxygen he breathed.

But, as for humans just being alive is not enough, the air that fills the lungs would only feel like an automatic action if it weren't the thrills that take it away to actually realize how much it is a need.

And that was the details.

How every voicemail from Suga always started with a ´Hello, hello~', the little 'I miss you' notes that he sneakily leaves on Daichi's pillow and that he would find at night when he goes to bed, how he would always play with his hands (Daichi's hands) whenever he tried to explain something and even the face he makes when he eats sour candy.

Everything about Suga was vital for Daichi.

He was in love. He really was, but he wouldn't tell him, not yet, and there was no discussion about it. Daichi's feeling have been this intense for years already, but for Suga this was just starting out, even if he admited just a day after the confession that he always thought that Daichi was attractive, there were still no romantic feelings, since he actually thought that a lot of people they knew were attractive.

But anyway, that wasn't important right now, because Daichi was living one of those special moments with Suga curled up against him and not watching the movies as they kissed.

The situation was repeating all over again: Daichi on top of Suga, their bodies unable to get any closer, tounges down eachothers throats, tension rising by the second.

The only word on Daichi's mind was _hot_.

Everything was hot: the air was hot, his body felt hot, Suga was hot.

Suga was extremely hot.

Daichi knew it. He was no longer scared. He would do this, but not only because he's hopelessly in love with Suga, he wanted to make love to Suga because who wouldn't?

You'd have to be blind not to think that the man in Daichi's arms is anything else but immensely gorgeous.

And Daichi thanked everyday to whatever divine entity that made him so lucky.

So lucky, Daichi thought, as their lips parted and Suga's eyes looked at him reflecting all his desire.

"Asahi could come at any moment," Daichi said, taking deep breaths in between words.

Suga placed his hands on Daichi's shoulders and slowly lifted himself, whispering, "Then maybe we should move to your bedroom."

Not even the dirtiest talk of his life got Daichi so turned on with just words.

But he should've known. Everything was just too perfect until a ringing made them stop.

If the situation was just like last time, it would get ruined, just like last time.

Too good to be true.

Suga pushed him off of him and groaned. "Really? Again?"

"That's yours."

Suga blinked and turned towards the small table by his side.

"Oh." He grabbed his phone and answered, "Hello?"

Daichi sighed and sat back, trying to cool himself down while Suga talked. When he was done, he looked at Daichi embarrassed.

"It was my neighbor. She said that her daughter is feeling sick and she has to take her to the hospital... so she wants me to take care of her dog 'cause no one else will."

He said that last part a bit too quickly. Daichi stared at him.

_What?_

"Can't dogs stay alone for some hours?"

"Yes, but she's really paranoid and she loves that dog. She once asked me to watch over it while she went to do grocery shopping. It took her like twenty minutes."

Daichi wanted to say something, but he kept his mouth shut. He had absolutely no words. So far he's been cockblocked by his own cowardice,a phone and a dog.

He feels like he deserves some kind of prize.

Suga made a small pout and looked at the ground. "I'm sorry."

Daichi smiled. He was disappointed, but there's no way that he could be mad. "It's fine."

"I'll make it up to you."

"There's no need for that."

"Shut up." Suga gave him a quick and chaste kiss on the lips.

Daichi has yet to learn that whatever that benefits him, also benefits Suga.

○○○

There's nothing Asahi enjoyed more than spending his afternoon baking. Just one of those simple things in life that brings him so much joy. He had thought that if converting a hobby (more like a passion) into his job would make him hate it, but it only made him love it even more. The look on his clients faces when they taste his desserts is priceless for him, but even more if it was a friend's face. So now, these moments were even better with his new company. The little man sitting in front of him, smiling cheerfully while resting his chin on his hands made of his favourite activity a meditation.

"Asahi-san!" Noya called, a little bit too loud, but after the small jump, Asahi didn't mind.

"Yes?"

"Hi~"

Asahi stood quiet and after a second, he laughed.

"Hi."

"Isn't it great that we're together now?"

Asahi blushed. "O-Of course." The topic still tickled him.

"Asahi-san."

 _You don't have to call me everytime you want to say something, we're already having a conversation,_ he thought.

But nothing on Earth would make him say that out loud.

"Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Can you teach me how to drive?"

Asahi widened his eyes a little bit. That was kind of out of the blue.

"I didn't know you couldn't drive."

"My parents would never let me get close to the wheel." Asahi nodded with fake surprise. _Wonder why?_

"Do you even have a car?"

"No, but I could get one if I learned how to drive. So, would you teach me?"

The baker pursed his lips, thinking. Not about the favor Noya was asking for. The answer was yes, why not? But about the things he would have to start getting used to, like sudden favours coming out of nowhere and trying to guess how long has Noya been thinking about it.

But it was worth it.

"Sure," Asahi accepted, "I'll teach you whenever you want."

"Great, then let's go!" Noya grabbed his jacket and turned around, walking towards the door.

"Wait, now?" half-yelled Asahi with a shocked expression, but left everything he was doing and followed the little man nonetheless as he shouted "Yes!"

Maybe meditation was a strong word.

But before they could give one more step, the door opened and behind it was Daichi, suddenly confused when seeing the guys faces; one full of excitement and the other full of nerves.

"Daichi-san!"

"What's going on?" Daichi asked, but nobody answered, instead, Noya decided to mention something he remembered and that he found no better moment to talk about,

"Daichi-san, Asahi-san told me that you didn't score last night."

Daichi's eyes widened and looked for Asahi, who was rubbing his nape and mouthing _"sorry"_.

"Yeah well, uh..."

"What happened?" Noya asked, "You couldn't get it u-" His sentence was cut by Asahi putting his hands on his mouth, an attempt to not embarrass Daichi... any further.

Daichi closed his eyes as he answered, "We were just interrupted." He silently made his way past the other men, Noya following him.

"Aww, poor Daichi-san."

"It's no big deal." _Noya, you can stop talking anytime you want._

"So, what's the plan now?"

Yeah, he didn't think so.

"There is no plan. I'm just going to let it happen naturally the next time we see each other," he explained.

Yeah, that was... that was the plan. Was a good plan, right?

_Right?_

"Or..." Noya started, getting rid of any space between him and Daichi. _Great._ "You could take him out to dinner, go back to your house, lock the door, disconnect the phone and take him on the couch."

Daichi stepped away a little, giving Noya an awkward smile.

"I don't think so."

"Why not? That's what I did."

Asahi looked at him sideways and whispered, "It's true."

Daichi thought of a way to end the conversation before he combusted.

"Noya, just let me handle this on my own, okay?"

The little man stared at him with a little scowl for some seconds, before turning his head the other way. "Pftt, whatever. C'mon Asahi-san, let's go."

He took his new lover's arm and went towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to drive!" said Noya, excited, giving a tiny jump.

Daichi wasn't sure how their conversation could have gone before he came, but judging by the look on Asahi's face, he felt the need to wish it,

"Good luck."

○○○

Twenty minutes after they left and got into the car, Asahi began to think that maybe his little new boyfriend wasn't as crazy as he thought he would be at driving like he is at everything else.

That was really comforting.

"You're doing pretty well," he complimented.

"Thanks," said Noya, "but it's because you're a great teacher."

Asahi's cheeks turned a slight pink. He was grateful that Noya wasn't looking at him.

Everything was peaceful while Asahi looked through the window, until a small bump shook him up.

But it turned out it wasn't exactly what he thought.

"Learn how to fucking drive!" He heard coming from the outside, at which the small man loudly replied, sticking his head out the window, "That's what I'm fucking doing!"

Once he was back in the car, he smiled at the (now terrified) big man beside him. "We'll continue tomorrow, right?"

Asahi nodded slowly, unable to speak at first, but recovering his voice in a moment.

"Of course."

He was taking back any peaceful and positive thoought he had in the last twenty minutes.

○○○

"Daichi, hi."

"Hey, uh, can we talk?"

"Sure, come in."

And that's how Daichi and Suga ended up sitting down and looking around, surrounded by an awkward silence.

"So," said Daichi, silently making a rhythm by hitting his thumbs together.

"So," Suga repeated

"You look good today."

"Thanks."

Awkward silence again. It was never-ending.

"Suga... I-"

"Can we have sex?"

Well, that saved Daichi from making an embarrassing scene trying to bring up the topic. The situation in itself was shameful enough for him.

"Is that what you want to talk about?" Suga asked.

_Well, now that you mention it._

Daichi cleared his throat. "Suga, listen, it's obvious that we've been trying to..." He couldn't even bring himself to say it. He could think of a lot of people who would make fun of him right now, "... to do _that_ and that every time we try we get interrupted and we can never... proceed."

Suga, fortunately, didn't make fun of him, he just nodded and hummed, 'cause, well, at the end of the day, he was also part of this?

"So, I thought that we should make sure it doesn't happen again. We can go to dinner tonight and when we come back we'll lock the door, disconnect the phone and... move to the bed." He never thought he'd find himself sounding like Noya in his life. It... wasn't really something pleasant. "I mean, have it planned."

Suga smiled and his eyes lighted up. "Sounds good."

 

So, the night was going great so far. If it weren't for a small bump on the road, Daichi would say their relationship was perfect. Probably the most perfect one ever. He was convinced.

Another beautiful detail about Suga was that he liked to sing Disney songs, especially in the car, that's how they ended up laughing together after singing the last line of "Under The Sea". Suga invited Daichi to sing along with him, even though he'd rather just listen to Suga's voice without his own interrupting.

A few minutes later, after thinking about such perfect relationship, it came to Daichi that there was more to it than just an intimacy problem. Something that used to bother him a while ago, but that he easily forgot about when his mind began to focus on... other stuff.

"Suga, I've been meaning to ask you something for some time."

Suga turned his head and made a small curious sound.

"Are we together?" Daichi asked, his hands on the wheel couldn't help but shake. "Like, an official couple? Can I call you my boyfriend? Can I tell other people that you're my boyfriend and say that I'm yours?"

Suga giggled, at which Daichi felt he had to giggle too, but it was kind of annoying because it wasn't an answer.

"I thought it was obvious, Daichi."

"Well, we never talked about it. I didn't know if it was okay to put a label on our relationship."

"Then I shall grant you the official title of "Boyfriend of Sugawara Koushi," said Suga proudly, making them both laugh. "If... if that's what you want, of course," he added, suddenly insecure.

"Of course that's what I want!" Daichi hurried to assure.

They both smiled at each other and Daichi got ticklish all over knowing that they would get out of the car being an official couple.

_Being Sugawara Koushi's official boyfriend._

He hoped the only thing that would make him lose that title were a ring, but... it's _way_ too early for that.

Once they were at Daichi's place, Suga asked, "Are we alone?"

"Yes. I made sure this morning that we'd be alone tonight." Daichi remembers asking Noya to take Asahi somewhere for the night, and since he didn't know how much time he and Suga would need considering their previous experiences, he needed it to be a long while.

He was a little jealous of what they might be doing right now.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked.

"No, thanks. I'm fine."

_Awkward._

"Do you want to start right now or do you want to... talk or something first?" Suga proposed.

"Sure."

But since they had absolutely nothing to say while Daichi thought of conversation topics that could be... somehow sexy, Suga changed plans.

"Or we could watch a movie."

 _Yes!_ Daichi thought. That was perfect. They could cuddle together while watching something romantic, so they could get in the mood, but also bad, so they could drop it in the middle.

 

An hour into the movie later, no one was making a move.

They were cuddling, but it was weird. It was like trying to get close to each other while their parents were in the room or something. No hands on inappropiate places, not stroking the other's arm or leg, not giving light kisses to the other's neck by surprise, only to leave a hickey they'd later have to hide at work.

Just simple cuddling.

Daichi took the remote control and turned off the TV (knowing Suga wouldn't care) and abruptly stood up. Suga was a bit shocked, but he waited for Daichi's explanation, but all he had to say was,

"Let's play a board a game."

Suga blinked. He was grateful that they weren't in the stiff position from before anymore, but he was... kind of lost. "Board game?"

"Yeah, you don't like them?"

"I love them. I haven't played one in a long time."

Daichi smiled. Glad that Suga accepted right away instead of thinking he was... a weirdo. "Do you like Monopoly?"

 

"You're cheating," Suga accused, very angry.

"I'm not cheating."

But Suga didn't take Daichi's words, and to prove it, he decided to flip the board over.

Daichi forgot, that competitive Suga, was the worst version of Suga.

He looked at the board and all the pieces on the floor. "So that's why you haven't played in a long time," he murmured.

Suga stood up from his seat and turned around with crossed arms. "I don't want to play anymore."

_Yeah, you made that pretty clear._

Suga lay down on the couch and Daichi followed him. "Suga." He crouched down next to Suga's face. "Suga, don't be mad."

Suga turned around, showing Daichi his back. "I'm not having sex with a cheater."

Daichi sighed. "I'm not a cheater."

But Suga stayed silent. Daichi now had to think of a way to deal with his stubborn boyfriend.

"Ok, fine. Let's play another game. One in which it's impossible to cheat."

That made Suga stand up and watch as Daichi went looking for something. He came back with a pen and paper, in which he drew some lines and a circle in the middle. They played tic-tac-toe, but ended up in a tie, since Daichi didn't want to make it too obvious that he was trying to let Suga win.

"You cheated," said Suga flatly.

"How could I have cheated on this?"

"There's surely a way and that's exactly what you did!"

Daichi knew that Suga wasn't an idiot, he was just mad, but it's hard to reason with him when he's acting like a brat.

Daichi raised his fist and after a second, Suga understood.

Rock, paper, scissors is a luck game, but Daichi realized that most people always started with scissors, so if luck was on his side for the first time in days, all he's need to do is make _paper_.

But since the world hates him, Suga made rock.

They stared at each other for what felt like way too long.

"Are you going to say that I cheated?"

Suga pursed his lips and looked at the side, murmuring, "Of course you did."

"You know what." When Daichi had enough, he walked to the kitchen and grabbed two almonds from a bowl that Asahi always kept in there, one in each hand. He showed both of his fists to Suga. "In which hand is it?"

Suga stared intensely and then hit Daichi's right fist. Daichi opened it and Suga gasped. "You did it!"

"Yay! I'm the best!"

Daichi thought that Suga was just trying to fool himself, but he threw the thought away (along with the almonds) when Suga jumped at him and attacked his lips with his own.

"Daichi, let's fuck to celebrate my victory."

Daichi was suddenly filled with gratitude. Maybe luck was on his side this time.

_Thank you, world._

He thought that nothing could ruin this moment.

And maybe that's _exactly_ why it got ruined.

Coming through the door, there it was no other than their good old friend Ennoshita, who lived two floors above Daichi. He was holding a megaphone, which soon they found out what it was for.

"There is a fire in the building. Please do not panic and evacuate the place immediately."

"What?" they both shouted, and with reason

Ennoshita brought the megaphone back to his mouth. "You fucking heard me."

This was absurd.

_Fuck you, world._

 

A few minutes later they were right outside of the building with Daichi's neighbors while they watched the firefighters entering the building. Daichi and Suga approached Ennoshita.

"What happened?" Daichi asked.

"Apparently an old lady on the fifth floor fell asleep while cooking. She's fine. It wasn't that big, but in case of a fire the building has to be evacuated for the residents safety."

_Really world? You're willing to risk people's safety just so I don't get laid. That's fucked up._

But Daichi knew that was not true and it was stupid.

"You took care of informing everybody in the building?"

"Yep."

"Why?" asked Suga

"'Cause I have a megaphone."

...

That was enough for them

One of the firefighters came out after a while. "Everything's alright. You can go back inside."

When they got back to the apartment, Daichi had only one thing to say, "Wow."

It was hard to look at each other in the eye without being embarrassed.

"Maybe we should leave this for another day," said Suga. "It's kind of late."

No matter how much he wanted not to, Daichi agreed.

"Yeah, I'll take you home."

○○○

It was sad.

It was so sad when they came back from another perfect date. Why were they so perfect?

Suga had been smiling and laughing all evening, but it was here, in the car, in front of the building where things started to get... depressive.

"Suga? Are you okay?"

Suga was pouting with crossed arms. If they were standing up, he would be kicking the ground. "I don't want to get out of the car."

"Why not?"

Suga made a rough movement and looked at Daichi exasperated. "What's gonna happen? What's gonna happen once we go inside? Are we going to make out and start removing our clothes until we get all hot and horny just to get interrupted once again because the universe doesn't want us to have sex for some fucked up reason?"

Daichi stared at him as if Suga had just hit him. He never thought of how this could be affecting Suga. He believed it was just his bad luck. Maybe Suga was thinking the same about himself.

Suga sighed and looked at his hands. "It's just... I'm frustrated. I'm sexually frustrated, Daichi." He was about to say something else, but shut himself up. It was probably something like _'do something about it!'_

Daichi never had any trouble with this kind of stuff. He was actually pretty good at seduction if he really got his mind on it. All of his past sexual partners, he got them easily, but of course, none of them were Suga.

"I want you, you know?" Suga giggled and playfully hit Daichi on the arm. "Don't make this hard for me."

Daichi smiled. It was nice that Suga was trying to take this in a positive way. He hit his arm back. "What? It's my fault?"

Suga pushed him, laughing a bit louder. "It was the first times."

Daichi still tried not to cry whenever he remembered it. He pushed him back and they got into a small pushing fight inside the car filled with laughter that ended when Daichi crashed his lips with Suga's and kissed him deeply.

It took a little for Suga to register, but seconds after he was kissing Daichi back and tangling his hands on his hair. Their mouths moving like one. Suga's back was hitting the window and Daichi's hand on his waist moved down to his ass and squeezed.

Suga gasped in the kiss. He realized it was the first time one of them did something slightly inappropiate. Maybe they really were getting impatient.

Daichi started kissing down his neck, leaving his mouth free to speak.

"Here?" He was breathless.

"Yeah," Daichi answered against his neck, and Suga understood what's going on.

Daichi wasn't inviting him to do this like all the other times. He knew what Suga wanted. He was just going to give it to him without questioning if he was doing anything wrong. Just take what Suga is offering without hesitating.

That's why, once in the back of the car, everything seemed more intense: the kissing, the touching, the moaning. Everything was much hungrier than before. They didn't care anymore. Whatever might interrupt this time could go fuck itself.

Of course it didn't mean that Daichi's first time with Suga wasn't important anymore, but now he wasn't scared, he was excited. He's a man that takes what he wants, and he wants Suga, and Suga wants him. That's all he needs. The feeling became more real with every article of clothing removed.

 

Daichi went back to his apartment later that night to find Asahi watching movies covered in blankets like a vertical burrito.

The giant burrito's eyes widened when he saw Daichi's state of disarray: his hair was a mess, there were marks on his neck and his jacket was falling from one of his shoulders.

And he could swear he's wearing his shirt inside out.

"What happened?"

Daichi remained quiet, until he sighed and pumped his fists in the air. "I did it," he said, like he just won the gold. He hung his head for a second and walked to his bedroom with an air of succes.

Asahi might have an idea of what happened, but he wasn't sure, and he didn't really want to ask. Maybe he'll do it tomorrow, for now, he was left alone and confused.

_Confused burrito._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk

**Author's Note:**

> 'ㅅ'


End file.
